MP appeals for help for Rockies family who lost everything 

By Admin. Updated 5:58 p.m., Tuesday, November 19, 2024, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Member of Parliament for East Kingstown- Mr. Dwight Fitz Gerald Bramble is appealing for assistance for a family of five in Rockies, East Kingstown who lost everything.

After a weekend of heavy rains, the dwelling house of the Ashton’s was swept away in a landslide during the late hours of November 18 and early hours of November 19.

“Everything was completely destroyed,” Mr. Bramble told One News SVG who reached out to him for a statement after he posted about the matter on his Facebook page earlier today.

“The family is very devastated, and of course, like I said they lost everything, so any assistance would be greatly appreciated: clothing, foodstuff, toiletries, bathroom towels, those kinds of things, whatever monetary donations, anything that you can contribute,” Mr. Bramble said.

One News SVG also reached out to Shurlene Ashton who resided in the house, but was at work when she received the news of the incident.

“I was at work. I got a call saying the house was gone and we didn’t have anywhere to live. My sister called with the news,” Ms. Ashton told One News SVG.

“I was in total disbelief because even though I saw the rain, I could not believe what she was saying to me,” Ms. Shurlene Ashton said told One News SVG.

The other four members of the family who resided in the house were Debra Ashton and her spouse Glenford Harry, and children – Shane, and Shelford Ashton, all adults.

Two other adult daughters for Debra Ashton live in the Rockies area, and one of them is currently housing the family until they get the kind of help that they need, Both MP Bramble and Ms. Ashton confirmed.

“I just want to appeal to everyone, whatever assistance you can render to this family, I mean they lost everything. When I visited the site this morning after visiting them at Debra’s daughter’s home where they were sheltered, at 1:00 o clock in the morning, I returned to the site on this morning on the 19th at around 6:30, and everything was completely destroyed”.

“The original location of the house, if you see that location now, you would not know that a house was there; I mean the landslide just took everything, clean sweep as we say, all the way down to the gutter down at the bottom and it just left some debris from the house, the structure of the house,” Member of Parliament for the area – Mr. Bramble said.

Mr. Bramble said he was in contact with the Prime Minister (who is the minister responsible for national emergencies and natural disaster management) “and he pledged to make sure that the family gets the help that they need and that the process would be expedited. So, I am hoping that that is the case”.

Meanwhile Shurlene Ashton said the family has begun receiving assistance from members of the public and they are thankful for the support so far.

“We have been grateful for the support so far.It is great to know that when in need there are people who would show up for us,” she told One News SVG.

Persons who wish to provide support to the family can contact them at 1 (784) 532‑0590‬.

Mr. Bramble also appealed to homeowners across the country to be “very vigilant” as soils are still saturated from several days of heavy rains.

The MP encouraged people to look out for “unusual things happening around your house, if there is a movement in the foundation, movement of any kind of back wall or fencing or anything like that and make sure that you inform the relevant authorities – NEMO, in particular, if you discover anything that is of concern to you”.

There have been several landslides across the country over the last 48 hours due to heavy rains.

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