The following letter was received from Nicole Codrington which has been issued in direct response to a press conference given by the committee (reported in the Nation of 20 August 2008) charged with disbursing monies to affected families collected in the aftermath of the Arch Cot disaster:
I pray this letter reaches its intended audience, that is, the public of Barbados.
Last September, following the death of five Barbadians who died as they slept in their homes, you the public of Barbados opened your hearts and purses in a tremendous gesture of goodwill by way of the media relief fund telethon. During the telethon, interviews of surviving relatives were shown which I am told evoked much sympathy and philanthropy. To date, Donavere’s immediate family and sons Doniko Kyo Codrington, age 6 and Zavier Brathwaite age 4 have not received any funds or assisistance from that fund.
All of Donaveres’ possessions inclusive of furniture, vehicle and extensive electronic equipment needed to run his business were lost at Arch Cot, that fateful morning. Imagine if your home disappeared right now, there is no dollar figure that would be sufficient. As an appointed government worker since 1997, there are several benefits and gratuities which should have been made available to Donaveres children. This has not been done.
Only three organisations have made any provision for those two small boys: Chefette Restaurants who set up a fund which distributes $2000 a year, the Broad Street Taxi Mens Association which donated $600 last September and the Luther Thorne Memorial Primary School which donated $500 last December. No other funds or insurance monies have been received by the Codrington Family, at any time.
The Codrington family was misled when it took part in interviews and activities related to that telethon.
My brother Donavere lived all his life in Westbury Road, St. Michael. He had moved into that apartment a mere week prior to his death, the children had visited that apartment for the first time the night they perished. For the Codrington family there is nothing to commemorate at Arch Cot. Further no member of the Codrington family will take part in any activities relating to any commemoration at Arch Cot.
We had remained silent in our grief for too long. Further we urge the Barbadian public not to be fleeced of any more monies in the name of the Codringtons. We have not received any monies, we have been told point blank it was not for us. If you made a donation to the telethon on our behalf we thank you for your kindness and generosity, seek up on it.
Fortunately, the Lord has blessed us daily in that we are able to provide for Donaveres children. They do not lack for anything.
Nicole A Codrington
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.