Cyclone a saviour for homeless man

FIJI – An 80-year-old man in Fiji who became homeless 16 years ago after he lost his family in a tragic car accident has found Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston to be a saviour of sorts.

Living under the Ba Bridge for the past seven years, Ram Baran finally has a place he can call home in the form of a tent donated by the Chinese government and handed to him by the Ba District office.

The tent has been proudly pitched on a good samaritan’s sugarcane field and is not far from his former home.

“This is my first real home after a long time,” Baran told the Fiji Times. “This is where I hope that things will get better.”

He said his life had been one of tragedy and loss.

“I lost my wife and two sons in an accident in Tagitagi in Tavua when I was 64 years old. From that time until now, I have been living without a home.”

He said he lived in Shirley Park in Lautoka for five years before moving to Ba.

“I was robbed so many times in Shirley Park so I moved to the Ba Bridge.”

Born in Balevuto, Ba, the former security guard said he had lived through four natural disasters while under the bridge.

“One time, I had taken shelter in a container and I almost drowned inside because water came into the container.”

He said similar circumstances happened during the 2012 floods and Tropical Cyclone Evan.

He said he sought shelter with good Samaritan Jaswant Singh who offered his labourer’s quarters before Severe TC Winston struck.

“I was inside when the house was blown away,” he said. “I was there for only two weeks.”

On Thursday, Baran was handed the tent from Ba district advisory councillor Mohammed Hilal and Varadoli resident Rakesh Kumar.

Hilal said after the cyclone, stories similar to Baran’s were starting to emerge.

“We’re finding out how people used to live before the cyclone hit,” he said. “There are so many that need help.

“There’s been a lot of tragedy in his life and I think this is something that government should look at and help provide a more permanent home for Mr Baran.” - Fiji Times