While Minister of the People Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh announced to sober-faced flood victims at the Diego Martin Central Community Centre yesterday they could access money through various grants, members of the Opposition's constituency office busily distributed hampers and food to flood victims downstairs.
"We were not invited," Garnet Moe, manager of the shelter, told the T&T Guardian. Residents like Bernice Smith and members of the Diego Martin Seventh-Day Adventist church went around "begging" businesses for help to feed and assist flood victims, Moe said. The Red Cross is also assisting. A source said politics had resulted in a lack of proper Government support for victims in PNM MP Amery Browne's constituency.
He said the Government-controlled Diego Martin Regional Corporation sent food at the shelter late and was not working with organisers. "Nobody is speaking to them. They had to beg to get 12 mattresses." Moe said the centre was providing shelter and food for some 35 people and was also arranging for them to receive counselling. Executive director of the Unemployment Relief Social (URP), Social, Barrington "Skippy" Thomas said the accusations were "mischievous and false."
He said the Ministry of the People was partnering with all MPs in the Opposition-controlled area to being relief to residents. He said the Diego Martin emergency team from the Diego Martin Regional Corporation (DMRC) was responsible for the shelter at the community centre. DMRC?chairman Allen Sammy has to manage disaster relief for the entire area, he added.
Ramadharsingh, during his address to flood victims at the community centre yesterday, said he and his staff have been working in the area since floodwaters wreaked havoc last Saturday morning as part of Sammy's?Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). "We have been moving about the various affected areas to get a complete picture of citizens' needs," he added. He said initial estimates of damage were in the region of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Ramadharsingh announced the launch of the Strategic Social Impact Centres (SSICs) at a number of locations. They would be opened on Friday August 24, and residents can go and report their problems and access help, he said. They will be located at:
• Diego Martin Community Centre;
• Point Cumana Community Centre;
• La Seiva Community Centre;
• Petit Valley?Community Centre; and
• La Puerta Community Centre.
Residents could receive tangible relief and psyco-social help, the minister said. Those who lost animals in the flood could access $5,000 to restart their business, he added. Children who lost school uniforms and books would be given $1,000 each and those who need it could access a $20,000 housing repair grant.