MP upset at ugly turn in Delano’s story

"I don't know how the Delano story became about someone else. I don't know, but this too shall pass," chorused Kerensia Morrison.

The St Catherine North East member of parliament, speaking with THE STAR yesterday, expressed her anger and dismay at the narrative that her endeavour to provide the family of Delano Tucker in Springfield, St Catherine, with a new house is being done for political gain.

The plight of the Tucker family captured the attention of the nation ever since a video produced by Street Driven TV, highlighting their pitiful circumstance, went viral on social media. While persons at home and abroad have rallied to help the Tuckers, an ugly sub-plot is being played out on social media. It involves Alex Oldacre, who has claimed that his attempts to help the Tuckers are being pushed aside by Morrison.

Oldacre has posted a string of videos to his TikTok account bashing the member of parliament. He said that he is part of a group, 'Doing Good in My Community' which was planning to build a decent house for the family.

"We're planning on building a three-bedroom with two bathrooms, a dining hall and a kitchen for Delano and his family but today when we go there with the architects and stuff we saw some other persons there," he said in the video.

"When I get to find out, it's HOPE -- the government institution -- and they were sent there by the MP," Oldacre claimed.

The Government has been using the Housing, Opportunity, Production, and Employment (HOPE) as the vehicle for its National Social Housing Programme, which aims to improve the housing conditions of the country's poor and indigent population.

Morrison told THE STAR that the Tuckers have been selected as a beneficiary under the HOPE programme. She admitted that she only became aware of how dire the family's situation was after the video was posted on social media.

"I know Mrs Tucker, we've met more than once. The last time I saw her was at a community meeting in Springfield. I asked her, 'Mrs Tucker, how is it that you've never mentioned anything to me at all' and she said to me, 'MP, I've never shared the story with anybody, you know you don't always talk your business."

Morrison said during that conversation she offered Mrs Tucker one of the houses that she has access to under the New Social Housing programme which she later accepted.

"For my part, that was it. All of this ugliness that has unfolded has taken me by surprise. What I saw was a video, I think it might have been on the 26th or the 27th of February, and I responded immediately."

Morrison lamented that Delano's school, Guy's Hill, has been unfairly dragged into the situation.

"I see people bashing the school and it is really hurtful. Delano did not reach sixth form overnight. The school has been a staple, a source of support to that family. Understandably the school couldn't build them a house. But for people to berate the institution and berate the teachers, it unfortunate. And so I would ask those who are bashing the institution to stop."

The MP says that Oldacre along with his mother have since reached out to her to apologise for what he says is a misunderstanding.

"His mother said that he is young, he is only 17 years old, and he means well, and I just want to move on from this positively. My interest in this is to have the Tucker family settled in a new home," the MP said.