Evacuees At Former Bastrop Wal-Mart Feel They're Treated Unfairly
Posted: Sep 3, 2008 07:12 PM
Updated: Sep 3, 2008 07:12 PM
BASTROP (KNOE 8)- Sunday, evacuees from New orleans, Lake
Charles and surrounding areas were bused to Morehouse parish to
avoid Hurricane Gustav.
72 hours into their stay at a makeshift shelter, many are outraged and
complain of conditions that are inhumane.
"We want to go home, we want to go home."
The words say it all. Elvina Carrier of Lake Charles says she and others
boarded buses, fleeing Hurricane Gustav, not knowing their
destination.
But the place they ended up was more than this crowd say they could
tolerate.
Evacuee Elvina Carrier says,"When we left, we were told we're going
to Shreveport. We had hotels set up for us there. We don't know about
Bastrop, Louisiana, people have never heard of this town."
More than 1200 people were brought to what used to be the old WalMart building in Bastrop. They say it's not the volunteers they have the
problem with it's the law enforcement.
Gary Chapital says, "Everytime you go outside you must be searched.
Some people might have done something wrong, but it didn't warrant
police beating the hell out of him after he's handcuffed."
Their complaints range from a lack of bathrooms and showers.
Evacuee Sara Nora says, "We have to walk outside in the rain to use
the bathroom."
Jim Miller says, "It's not the Holiday Inn, we're doing the best we can."
Jim Miller is with the Louisiana Department of Social Services which
provides the shelter that was created for those who don't have
transportation.
Miller says, "There were problems with portables. We had up to 36
yesterday, now it's 100 that number is sufficient."
He admits the people went almost three days without showering.
They were allowed to use facilities at a high school Tuesday.
A police officer tells KNOE 8 news almost half of the showers were
broken.
A woman denies the allegations.
Carrier says, "I asked them to pick up behind themselves, towels were
picked up, the showers were left clean, none torn down, no walls
busted."
Miller says, "We had shower trailer coming in...Here it is 2:47 p.m.
they're still not here."
The department of social services say the families could learn when
they will return home sometime Thursday.
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