Rural Development and Local Government Minister Kazim Hosein and chairman of the Sangre Grande Regional corporation, Terry Rondon, are admitting there is need for a "proper building policy in rural areas and more particularly Toco, Matelot and Grand Riviere," areas which are annually affected by heavy rains and winds.
The communities suffered for yet another time this week as heavy winds and rains pounded the areas leaving dozens of landslips, homes covered in slush and mud and crops destroyed.
Hosein, who along with Works Minister Rohan Sinananundertook an aerial tour of the affected areas, said a solution must be found to the perennial problem.
He admitted it would not be easy, but he said they had to try.
Hosein said while on the aerial tour he was "shocked" by the devastation which he saw. He said, "When we were going over the mountain, we saw the earth and there was no greenery; that is to tell you how hard the rain fell. The gravel was coming down; it was scary to know the downpour was so heavy. We saw dozens of landslides from the air."
Following the aerial tour, he said he subsequently returned to Toco, where he spent the day last week Friday. Hosein said he organised food, water and building materials for residents, but it was difficult to drive through because of the landslips.
"Even the T&TEC trucks were having difficulty getting into some of the areas," he said.
Hosein said it was clear that these communities which suffered devastation annually needed more than temporary assistance. He said: "We have a Rural Development Team and I have discussed with the permanent secretary that I want the team to meet with the chairman and members of Sangre Grande Regional Corporation, members of the community, religious bodies, the schools, the fisher-folk ,we have to sit down and discuss solutions."
From the aerial tour of the area he said they noticed that "people have built houses on the hills and river banks. It is clear that building codes in these areas are not what they should be. We need to address that. The unfortunate thing is that people have their homes already but we have to educate them about the dangers in how they are building."
He added: "When they build a house on a river bank, the rivers invade their homes when the rains come, slush from the hills and rivers invade their homes and they are filled with slush and mud. It is a dangerous place to live, but people have houses already. It will always be like that unless we can get people to think differently, that area is prone to disaster," he said.
Rondon agreed. He said: "We have to have a building policy in rural areas because it is very hard on us." As councillor for the area he said, he would get serious on the issue in January.
"It will be a priority in the New Year we have to go out and educate the people," he said.
Rondon admitted that "this is a disaster prone area because we are located between two mountains."
He added: "Year after year it is getting worse. We did drainage, but when they cut into the mountains it cut off the drainage. Right now, I estimate the damage and losses to be in the region of two million dollars or more, because is is not just homes and personal items, it is food crops, boats, engines, nets," he said.
"So why are people building homes on the mountains and so close to the rivers? In the dry season it is beautiful. But when the rains come and the river mouth close mud and slush gushes into homes. In one case, a man in Toco can't live in his house again."
Asked how people who built on the mountainsides and the river banks got water and electricity, Rondon admitted he intervened on their behalf to help them, but he said ,"I, too, have to stop helping them. I will also tell the building inspectors to issue a no cause notice to them so they can't build."
Rondon is lobbying for a disaster centre that can quickly mobilise to get tractors and other equipment into affected areas."