News

Jobless, homeless fisherman seeks help

By KAVELLE ANGLIN-CHRISTIE, Staff Reporter

Barrington Banton and his two sons sitting in their one bedroom shack in Rocky Point, Clarendon. - KAVELLE CHRISTIE

A BOARD SHACK; a jobless fisherman; a handicapped son; another nine month old son; no mother. To some this reads like something out of a horrible fairy-tale, but when THE STAR went in search of Marcus Banton, this was what we found.

Banton, who appeared on a local television station a few months ago to get help for his son, is now in need of help for himself.

The news team travelled through the poor community of Rocky Point, and found Banton and his family in a deplorable condition.

Banton lives in what looks like a one bedroom board shack with a large black cross painted on the front door, but on the inside it is divided into two small rooms packed with old furniture. Barely enough to house one person, but he manages to fit in his family. To the side of Banton's house is a makeshift table with a few eating utensils on it, and beyond the table, a small roofless zinc latrine.

Banton, 38, said he is in need of a better place to live because the house he lives in belongs to his family, and they want it back. "They want back the house to fix it up and move back in, but they just making me stay right now because I don't have anywhere else to go."

"So I would really love some help with getting somewhere to stay with Marcus and my other baby," he said.

Banton works as a fisherman, but rarely gets the chance to go because he has to take care of the children, and "more time the sea too rough to go out, so I can't do nothing but stay home."

Brittle bone

To add to Banton's frustrations, he doesn't own a boat to fish in. "You see when you don't have your own thing, it is a serious problem. I would really love it if anyone had a little second-hand boat they would like to give away. It don't have to be much, but it would really help me a lot."

Banton has been raising Marcus for over nine years. He says Marcus' mother left Marcus with him when he was a baby. " She say she don't want any handicap pickney and she can't manage. From that time until now, she don't come back."

Marcus was diagnosed with osteopnia, otherwise known as 'brittle bone', when he was born. As a result, he is unable to walk, without further damaging his legs, and has spent most of his life in the hospital. Marcus, who only started attending school a month ago, pleasantly surprised THE STAR news team with his sharp-wittedness. When asked where he learnt to speak well, he said, " I was always in the hospital and whenever anyone came there, I would talk to them and so on."

When asked to give his thoughts on his father, he said, "I love my father very much. He takes care of me and my brother, and I love him for that."

Anyone willing to assist Banton and his family, please call 471-4646 or 344-0444.