.jpg)
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday, a very distraught Pilgrim recalled that at around 07:45 hrs on that December day, the fire was set in the house while all the occupants were out and she was on duty at Telecoms Solutions Inc. at Eccles, East Bank Demerara as a Guyana Employment Bureau (GEB) security guard.
That fire burnt everything to cinders; neighbours were unable to help her save anything.
Her sons, Wesley and Rackwell Pilgrim; two granddaughters, and Wesley’s wife and daughters — Telly Atwell, Michelle and Sabrina Pilgrim, had all shared the same residence at Lot 22 Samaroo Dam, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara.
Illegal substances
Pilgrim alleges that her very disgruntled son, Rackwell, who usually consumes illegal substances, was responsible for setting the fire. She said he works in the interior, and consumes cannabis (marijuana) quite often, and would many times “act as if he has gone out of his mind.”
While she could not give a reason for her son’s most terrible action, she has refuted her neighbours’ claims that Rackwell would normally give her most of his money when he returns from the interior, but was always mistreated in the home.
She also denied that she was a bad mother who wanted him out of the home. Instead, she is contending that Rackwell made their lives almost unbearable, especially when he consumed narcotics.
“Those rumours are all untrue. Whenever Rackwell comes from the bush, he gives me nothing, but just spends his money on friends and girls, and never has time with me. Those are all lies! He seemed to have his own problems, and until now, I cannot figure out why he would burn the house down,” she maintained.
She disclosed that Rackwell had previously destroyed the bottom flat of the building where her other son, Wesley, lived with his spouse, and had spent several months in prison for that offence; but on being released, a few months ago, he had again travelled to the interior in search of what he called “the big money”.
Two worms
She said that Rackwell had lamented, a few days previous to the arson, that persons in the home had given him something to eat which had left worms tumbling over in his belly. He said an x-ray he had taken at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) had revealed two worms in his abdomen.
The only things left standing after fire had consumed the house are the concrete walls of the bottom flat. The family has lost a combined sum of some $10M, including electrical appliances, furniture, jewellery and clothing.
Ms Pilgrim said her family members are now all accommodated in a one- bedroom apartment which a kind-hearted businessman from Versailles, West Bank Demerara has given them to live in for six months, until they can proverbially get back on their feet.
She said that, prior to the arson, she had started decorating the home in anticipation of having an exciting Christmas with her family. They are all now depending on kind Guyanese and the corporate fraternity to donate cash or kind to assist them rebuild the home they had grown to love and cherish over the years.
Pilgrim’s best friend, Pauline Allen, who resides in the same area, is hosting a ‘Buy a Zinc’ bingo promotion on Sunday to help raise funds to purchase roofing sheets for Pilgrim’s new home.
Others who would like to contribute can contact the family on telephone numbers 695-1562 and 684-6082.
