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Paul Bogle’s descendant still living in squalor
October 12, 2021
Two years ago this newspaper featured the ragged living conditions of Alton Bogle, a man who claimed to be the cousin of National Hero Paul Bogle.
THE STAR revisited the senior citizen and found that his living space in Spring Gardens, St Thomas, has become even more deplorable.
"When di story did come out people did come and promise mi say dem ago help mi but dem nuh come back. Mi deh here same way a do mi ting. Mi do mi little job for people and get a money but mi nuh make enough to fix di house but mi can buy food. Mi is a hard worker, enuh," he said.
The 64-year-old lived a normal life until fire of unknown origin destroyed his dwelling in 2018. Currently, his partially covered roof is an accident waiting to happen while the walls are broken. There are no doors or windows and his roof is supported by pieces of bamboo stuck in the ground.
On the day of the visit, the rain was pouring inside his broken down dwelling. A bath pan and several five gallon containers that were placed on the bed and dirt floor to collect the rainwater were overflowing. His bed, which is made up of a piece of dirty sponge and old clothes, was soaked.
As he stood waiting on his small pot of rice to boil, he released an episode of dry, tickling cough.
"From the other day the rain a fall every minute and through di place soak with water it give mi cold. Mi feel sick right ya now and sometimes mi wonder if mi ago catch up pneumonia. The place stay really bad," he said.
As National Heroes' Day approaches, he says he continues to be proud of his ancestor's accomplishment but said he does not feel he is given the recognition that he deserves while adding that Stony Gut needs a facelift.
"Stony Gut itself nuh bad enuh but di road wah bush out and make di place look nice. Heroes Day deh round di corner and di place look bad. Mi never know Bogle but mi parents dem tell mi story about him and mi learn bout him inna school," Bogle said.
