07/03/2024
In an interview with the Big Issue, a former resident of the Bibby Stockholm has described life on board the barge, from medical problems to internet being cut in the wake of a suspected su***de….
Bibby Stockholm management turned the internet off on the barge for two days after the suspected su***de of Leonard Farruku, a former resident has alleged.
Residents were kept in the dark in the wake of the death and found out what had happened through news articles, the man said, whose name is being withheld to protect his identity.
In an interview, he also described life during four months board the controversial barge – which houses asylum seekers off the coast of Portland, in Dorset – detailing difficulties in accessing health care, poor conditions inside rooms.
“They cut the network for two days – we couldn’t share or use anything,” said the former resident, speaking to the Big Issue through an interpreter.
“They didn’t say it’s because of the incident, they said it’s a technical issue and we are trying to fix it. Before the incident everything was fine and we used to send messages.
“After two weeks, after people started not to mention the accident, then the network came back, it was normal.”
“Mentally, the environment of the room was really bad. Mentally, it was very stressful for me. The room was very very small. There was no extractor fan at all. In the bathroom there was a small hole, but there was no extractor fan inside the bathroom,” he said.
When the population of the Bibby Stockholm started growing, with the WhatsApp group reaching 300 members, the man said it became harder to live on the barge.
“After that the situation began to be worse and you wouldn’t be able to breathe inside from the crowded people. I decided to start going out,” he said. He would have breakfast, and then leave the barge, to “try to breathe as much as I can, fresh air, because when I go back it’s stressful.”
In December, shortly after Farruku’s death, the man became sick and tried to access healthcare onboard the barge.
“I got very very sick, and I thought I was going to die,” he said.
“I tried to get in touch with the healthcare, with the doctors, and they didn’t take me seriously. At that time, it was winter, everybody was sick, everybody wanted an appointment with the GP, and they gave me an appointment after five days. I told them maybe I’ll be dead after five days or maybe I’ll be feeling better,” he added.
In the end, he swapped an appointment with a friend and was seen the next day. But prescribed medication did not arrive promptly, he said, leading to another bad night.
“My experience with the healthcare service was stressful and bad,” he said. “Even though when I got sick, I couldn’t walk to get my food. I asked them if my food could be delivered to my room. They said I had to come and collect my food otherwise you’re not going to get it.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We do not recognise these claims.
“We take the welfare of all asylum seekers very seriously, and all concerns raised by any of the asylum seekers affected are dealt with sensitively. The food provided on the barge meets NHS Eatwell standards, and where concerns are raised about any aspect of the service delivered on the barge, we work with the provider to ensure these concerns are swiftly addressed.”
https://www.bigissue.com/news/social-justice/bibby-stockholm-asylum-seekers-residents-life/
