BOBIE-LEE DIXON
(bobie-lee.dixon@guardian.co.tt)
Minister of Education Anthony Garcia has opened several schools for use as emergency shelters for affected flood victims. They are, Bon Air Secondary School; La Horquetta South Government Primary School; Maloney Government Primary School; Arima Boys' Government Primary School; Arima Girls' Government Primary School; Five Rivers Secondary School; St David's RC School; Madras Government Primary School; Las Lomas Government Primary School and Raghunanan Road Government Primary School.
In an interview with Garcia at Greenvale, La Horquetta, he said the La Horquetta community centre was opened to provide shelter for flood victims, but soon became overcrowded, registering over 100 people seeking relief.
As a result, the decision was taken to first designate the La Horquetta North and South Government Primary Schools as emergency shelters and later the additional listed schools.
Garcia said the Ministry had asked MTS security to ‘double’ up on safety at these schools. He said the Ministry of Health has also provided medical personnel to these shelters and through the Student Support Services Division, guidance counsellors and social workers have also been dispatched to provide counselling services to people who have lost everything in the devastating floods.