Almost two months after the October floods which devastated parts of east, central and north-east Trinidad, uprooting the lives of an estimated 120,000 people and 3,500 households, scores of people are yet to collect grants from the Government, leaving them confused.
Following the floods, the Ministry of Social Development issued grants at values of $15,000 and $20,000 to assist those who were severely affected by the floods.
However, El Socorro, San Juan resident Sri Singh said despite falling victim to floods for the second consecutive year, he is yet to receive any cheque from the ministry. Singh, who is the sole provider for his sick and elderly parents, lost most of his appliances, furniture and tools he invested in to do renovations on his home.
Speaking to Guardian Media yesterday outside the ministry’s St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain office, Singh said, “When I went to the ODPM (the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management) and I give them the information and thing, they said they send it across for we to get the cheque. People from the village say they hear my name calling in the Barataria Complex and they was giving out cheques...When I went now, they say my name not on the list and they didn’t call my name.”
He said he was confused over why his name was not on the list, noting his home was severely damaged by flood waters.
Carriegale Pandeosingh, of Vega De Oropouche, Sangre Grande said she too had not yet collected her cheque. However, she conceded this may have been as a result of an error on her part.
Pandeosingh, who lives with her four children, has been living with her mother since the floods as she cannot afford to rebuild her life without the grant. She said there was knee-high water in her home and described it as “a river in the whole place,” adding she lost all her household items.
Still, Pandeosingh said there was so much confusion surrounding who qualified for the cheques, how to access them and how they were being distributed.
“They told us to go sign up in county council so we went and put down we name but we didn’t know they was sending out forms...we didn’t know where to go and sign the forms,” she said.
After her meeting with ministry officials, she was redirected to the ministry’s office to make the claim.
For now, Pandeosingh will be celebrating Christmas with her mother until she can return to her home.
There are other reports of people who were affected by the floods who have either not received any cheques or are having issues accessing the funds.
Guardian Media attempted to contact Minister of Social Development and Family Services Cherrie Ann Crichlow-Cockburn for further information on the status of flood relief payments but calls to her cellphone went unanswered.