Exclusive: “Bin Baby” to Judge’s Orderly (Part1)

Exclusive: It is as accurate as the title suggest. The saying “I’ve hit rock bottom” is very common but for Lascelles Harvey it is more like “I’ve hit trash bottom.” Unable to even fathom his own life encounters, Harvey shared in the Mckoy’s News interview his almost unimaginable life endeavors. There is only so much a man can endure and he has endured it all, but all can never be told just in one day. “Dis a tuh much fi just one interview, you go need fi come back fi part 2” stated Harvey.

Lascelles was born at Old Hospital Park located on Gloucester Avenue next to Margaritaville in Montego Bay which is now commonly known as lover’s park. A few days after his birth, he was found in a bin outside the hospital where he was taken in by a Roman Catholic nun.

As a new born exposed to the elements of the contaminated environment, thrush grew on his tongue. This is a white coating (fungi/yeast) which covers the tongue; therefore, making it difficult to breathe which can later result in death, if, not treated.

Several months after staying with the nun who goes by the name, Sister William Margret, he was taken to SOS Children’s Village in Barrett Town where he lived for approximately 18 years. While living at the home he got the basic child care— good schooling and very reasonable treatment from caregivers.

After basic school he went on to Barrett Town All age and afterwards Senior School (St. James High). He did not get the opportunity to complete Senior School because the home required him to work, therefore, he stopped school at the  9th grade.

He was sent to do trade work, later he went to Half Moon where his job was to water coconut trees and perform mechanical work which he hated because: “it made his hands messy,” said Lascelles.

He complained about the job to his caregivers at the home which later led the path to him doing pastry in the kitchen at the hotel, his checks were collected by the home. While working there, some connections were made that gave him a second job at the family court house in Montego Bay, working as a court orderly. This job later became full term.

Reaching the age of 17, he was being prepped to leave the home because he would soon be of age— 18. He left and stayed with a friend from school. This friend’s mother would often come and visit him at the home because of the close proximity to her house.

The Uphill Climb

Seeing that he was currently working at the court house, they now expected him to have money and share with them. Because he didn’t have enough to kind them with they became hostile. If food was prepared, they would finish and left him to starve. They would, also, lock him outside the house. All this was within the space of 2 months.

Harvey went back to the home to report to the director the dreadful condition under which he was staying. He continued staying with the same persons while the director made contact to his biological family.

Now, Harvey had met his mom once before, at age 16 but he was utterly speechless when she came to visit him at the home because; the house mother, which he called ‘mom’ all his life and has grown to know as his mother, was not. He was in disbelief because he was now learning that this lady who he had no connections with just appeared out of nowhere, as his mother; and, of course, for him, that was hard to accept.

After his family was contacted by the director of SOS children’s village, two weeks later, arrangements were made where he later lived with his biological family. That’s all it was: ‘biological’. He was treated as an outsider, outcast or one would say: ‘the black sheep,’ by his 3 older sisters who were living at the house with his mom, and, after 2 months there were complaints about inadequate space. Therefore, he was sent to his father in Glendevon who he has never met.

Love? That was never in his vocabulary, he had no idea of what that was. He was expose to a better life at SOS but it never went as deep as love. One of the greatest regrets he had was leaving the Children’s Village, for that’s where he found the closest thing to love.

He went back to the nun who took great care of him and always have his best interest at heart. He explained to her what was happening. He was offered a house to stay on the Roman Catholic Compound but it was occupied by a mentally ill person.

“The living condition was unbearable” said Harvey. “Same place him tek a dump a di same place him bathe, sleep, everything.” They got rid of the man and Harvey stayed there for 7 years. There was nothing there initially, no bed or utensils and so he had to sleep on the same shirts he wore to work and use cardboard to secure the windows.

Reaching The Peak

What was his next move, his future? He had no idea. “My life was very sad enuh, from a child until mi a big man!” claimed Harvey.

However, life took a sharp and positive turn for him. One Saturday, he met a Christian couple (Pastor James and Rebecca James) on bottom road who were looking for directions to a business place. He was invited to go in search with them. He was later invited to their church, where, he was introduced and connections were made with Daphney, an employee at the family court house.

One month later, his name came out in the paper as one of the persons who was eligible for the new houses build at Cornwall Courts. The James family gave him a down payment of one thousand dollars, and, with the aid of National Housing Trust, came up with a plan where he was able to pay his monthly mortgage. Shortly after, he received the keys to his first home at age 32.

That was not his only accomplishment.

He got married three years after to meeting his wife in 2011.

Lascelles, however, carries huge disappointment he has had in life. That is not being able to have a child. To this point, that is something he is still learning to come to terms with. ‘A failure’ is what he calls it.

Despite the facts of life’s bitter sweet moments, he has still continued to stay motivated and excel in whatever he can. “People muss have an internal drive, nuh just get up every day and feel sorry fi yuhself because that won’t change anything. The universe has so much to offer, you just have to set your mind and gravitate towards a goal you’ve set to achieve. Don’t sit and wait on hands out, get moving.”

These were all encouraging statements from Lascelles Harvey, a man who has literally hit bin bottom, to those who maybe having a rough time or may just want to just give up. “Push on, be happy about your life choices and keep moving.”

Tune in for Part 2 to Lascelles Harvey’s Story.

News Reporter: Dadrian Forbes