3 months ago, we told you about the COVID-related death of 49-year-old Sylvia Foreman, a BDF soldier from Mahogany Heights.
This mother of 6 was a 28-year veteran in the military. About a week before she passed away, she went to a clinic because she was feeling ill. Her family says that she was sent home and advised that it might be the regular flu. Several days later, she had to be hospitalized at the Western Regional Hospital, and shortly after that, she suddenly passed away from COVID-19.
Her family is now questioning the financial compensation that the Government is paying for her nearly 3 decades of dedicated service to the country. They think that the Government is short-changing her 7 dependents who she is survived by. Her sister told us the amount being is smaller than what was expected, and here's what she had to say via phone today - she asked to not use her name:
Sister of Deceased "I'm really not satisfied because my sister has given her life to BDF to serve this country, sickness, rain, no care what, anytime they call my sister, she is always there, she has given her life to serve to 28 years and now receive 5 thousand dollars, come on, to me I don't think it's fair."
Daniel Ortiz "Was any breakdown given to as how they arrived to that 5-thousand-dollar figure?"
Sister of Deceased "All they told her that it was a reimbursement, that's all. They didn't say it was like 100 or something for one year or something for 2 years, none of that, no breakdown, just a reimbursement. I surely know that my sister had caught that COVID in the line of duty. She worked up to the day she fell sick, so I know she had caught it COVID in the line of duty. She doesn't go nowhere, straight from home, to work, work to home. So, I would like if somebody could just help, anybody that could help and shed some more light what we could do from there because I think she deserved more than 5 thousand dollars for 28 years of service and months? Come on."
Foreman's sister tells us that she saw a memo relating to BDF soldiers which she thinks might be an avenue for a request for more financial compensation. She tells us that the reason she chose to speak up is that she is hoping that the plight of her family will reach the appropriate ears.
