A workman overlooks the job done to the roof of Ruel Thompson's house in Mitchell Town, Clarendon recently. - Photo by Dwight Nelson

MAY PEN, CLARENDON:

With many still not fully on the road to recovery after the battering of Hurricane Dean and with the 2008 hurricane season already well under way, at least one member of the Mitchell Town community in Clarendon can still say he is a happy man.

Sixty-five-year-old Ruel Thompson, who is blind, was the recipient of a brand new roof after Hurricane Dean destroyed the previous one.

The roof was completed recently thanks to efforts from Jamalco and members of the Mitchell Town Community Council.

"During the hurricane, the roof was completely removed and I had to relocate to my next door neighbour's house for three days. I went back into the house after some members of the community used tarpaulins to cover the top of the building. However, when it rains, the house gets wet and at night, I feel very cold," said Thompson. "I am very happy for the help I got from Jamalco and the community because the $20,000 I received from the Government could not put on the roof and paint the walls.

According to Ulalee Thompson, president of the Mitchell Town Citizens' Association: "Jamalco asked us to identify a Labour Day project and we looked around the community and identified Mr Thompson's house.

"We did not even known that he had received assistance from the Hurricane Relief Fund but that did not stop us because there was no proper roof on his house," Thompson pointed out.

"Several community members, along with Jamalco, volunteers and councillor of the Rocky Point division, Winston Maragh, started the roofing exercise on Labour Day and it was completed later," he added.

Councillor Maragh told The Gleaner he was grateful to members of the community and Jamalco for spearheading the project.

"Additionally, because Mr Thompson is blind and it is difficult for him to move around on the swampy land. I purchased a load of marl and paid persons to spread it out in the yard in order for him to get around easier," said Maragh.