Former boat captain Ignatius Garcia, 50, an asthmatic of #23 Wood Street, has blamed the fuel emissions from buses parked near his residence for his illness and the death of his 7-year-old daughter, Mazie Garcia, who died from asthma around 12:45 p.m. on Monday, December 31, 2007, at Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.
Garcia said the doctors at KHMH who examined and treated him and his daughter, told him that the environment he lives in and the pollution caused by the diesel emissions from buses have contributed to his illness and the death of his daughter.
He revealed that Mazie, a Standard I student of St. Ignatius Primary School, was diagnosed with asthma from she was 2 years old. He said Mazie’s illness became serious in May last year and since then he has spent about $1,000 every month to purchase medication for her.
But despite the medication and regular use of a respirator at her home, Mazie succumbed to her illness. She will be buried today at Lords Ridge Cemetery after funeral services at St. Ignatius Church this afternoon.
In relation to himself, Garcia said he was diagnosed with asthma in May last year when he began to have difficulty breathing and experienced pain in his back and joints. He added that Dr. Carlos Rodriguez, who examined him, told him that his illness was caused by smoke inhalation and suggested that he should move himself and his family from his present residence.
Garcia said he has lived at his present residence all his life.
“I have nowhere to go. This is my house in which I was born and raised,” said Garcia.
Before he became ill, Garcia worked as a boat captain who would take tourists out to sea for dives and fishing. He said he had to retire when he became ill, because he was advised to quit work by the doctor who examined and treated him.
Garcia revealed that since he became ill he has lost over 30 pounds and he is still losing weight. He said he and his family have managed to survive from his savings and money earned by his wife, Adilia Garcia, from sewing and food vending.
According to Garcia, another daughter, Addy Garcia, 9, was affected by smoke inhalation in October last year and had to be examined and treated by a doctor at KHMH. Addy was put on a respirator and she has recovered.
Garcia said he is fearful for his mother, Mazie Garcia, 90, who has complained a number of times about her eyes being affected by the smoke emissions from buses that park near his residence and leave their engines running.
Garcia’s next door neighbour, Etelbina “Miss June” Lisbey, 69, said she has lived on Wood Street from 1990 and the smoke emissions from buses have affected her so much she has to have checkups every month.
Garcia said every day a number of passenger buses park on Cemetery Road near his residence and keep their engines running for at least 15 minutes. He added that some of the buses also keep their engines running when they are filling their tanks with diesel at Esso Gas Station, located next to his residence.
To try and alleviate the problem Garcia has contacted the Department of Environment and has voiced his concerns.
In a letter dated October 18, 2007, Chief Environmental Officer, Ismail Fabro, informed Acting Traffic Manager of Transport, Adrian Rodriguez, of Garcia’s complaints. But Garcia said that so far nothing has been done.
Garcia’s attorney, Audrey Matura Shepherd, has also written a letter to Belize City Mayor, Zenaida Moya, about the problem.