The two-bedroom house nearing completion.

Joyce White, who survived the horrific truck accident on December 19, 2008, in Portland's Rio Grande Valley, was handed a new two-bedroom house valued at just over $1 million on Saturday as part of pre-Labour Day activities.

The house was constructed at Cornwall Barracks by Scotiabank volunteers from the Corporate and Commercial Banking Centre, the Port Antonio Scotiabank staff, Food For the Poor and community residents.

The higgler lost her son, 21-year-old Feston Telfer, when a truck transporting them to Coronation Market in Kingston plunged over a precipice at Dam Bridge, killing 13 others, including a 10-year-old boy.

Her elation at the bank's benevolence was irrepressible.

"I am grateful for this my new home," she said. "Thanks to Scotiabank and Food For the Poor, my family and I will be able to live in peace and comfort. Life has been tough since the passing of my son."

Haunting memories

Since the fatal accident, White has undergone a series of difficulties. Not only is she being haunted by memories of the accident, but she also struggles with a medical condition.

"I have not been to market since the accident last year. I am scared and nervous whenever I see a market truck.

"That was my seventh accident and I hope it is the last one. I am in need of financial assistance to buy medication so as to treat a lump in my breast."

In addition to the work on Saturday, the Scotiabank team also carried out work on the Comfort Castle Primary and Junior High School, including painting the main building, cleaning desks and chairs, and constructing a security post.

Debbie Clue, manager of corporate social responsibility and government affairs, explained that they had made a commitment to donate equipment to the school, but a visit to the community prompted them to do more.

"There are students attending this school who lost their main caregiver," she said. "They will benefit from this facelift and beautification, along with their new home, which is completed in conjunction with Food for Poor."

Theona Mattis, a guidance counsellor at the school, was appreciative of the repairs carried out by the Scotia team.

"We are pleased with the cleaning up and beautification of the school," she said.

"We are also grateful for the construction of the new security shed. The school population is healing slowly from the tragedy and we are expecting further help for the students at the school."

Happy to be involved

Beth Carroll, director of projects at Food For the Poor, said the organisation was enthusiastic about the Comfort Castle project as the family was in desperate need.

"We are happy to be involved in this project, "she said. "We have repaired about 50 roofs in this community which were damaged during the passage of (Tropical Storm) Gustav last year, amounting to approximately $3 million."

A view inside the old family structure. - Contributed Photos