Caption: Vikash Bunsee with his daughter living on the banks of the Godineau River. AZP News/Sue-Ann Wayow
By Sue-Ann Wayow
RESIDENTS along the Godineau River in Debe, constantly affected by floodwaters, will have to be relocated.
Minister in the Ministry of Housing Phillip Alexander told AZP News on Friday, “Clearly these people identified here are going to have to be moved, but as to where could be identified for temporary shelter we would have to be advised.”
His statement comes after a story by AZP News on Vindra Mangroo and other people who live on the banks of the Godineau River and are victims of flooding. Magroo, a mother of seven, says for the past 20 years she has suffered from floods.
AZP News reached out to Housing Minister Dr David Lee on Friday after meeting with affected residents on Thursday.
Lee advised that the ministry’s permanent secretary will work with Alexander to determine assistance for the several households affected.
Alexander said with regards to emergency shelter situations. Lee said, “The fact is it is woefully nonexistent.”
He said the ministry on Friday will send out an invitation to Minister of the People, Social Development & Family Services Vandana Mohit for a consultation at her earliest convenience to identify the size of the need and to identify a collaborative way forward where emergency units could be made available to her team who are better positioned to identify and match needs as required in the near future.
“As Housing Ministers we will have to be guided by those ministers who occupy the front line in emergencies like these and assist where requested,” he said.
Alexander also said, “A definite need for low-income housing exists and we are in planning and consultation to create communities that could fulfill this need in the near future, hopefully in locations that do not cause too much disruption where social connections and education are concerned.”
@azpnews.com Resident speaks about her flooding plight in Debe on Thursday evening. She lives on the banks of the Godineu River. Video: Sue-Ann Wayow @khadijahameenbusiness @mowi.gov.tt #flooding #debe #gordineuriver #heavyrain #floodmitigation
He also said Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar will be made aware of the size of the problem for her guidance and direction on a national level.
Alexander said the Ministry of Housing was aware of many persons in very desperate situations where housing was concerned even before the bad weather, and the need for emergency shelter was now even more acute.
He said he and Dr Lee have toured all existing developments including those under construction to ascertain the stock of housing units that can be made available.
“The stark reality facing us is the previous administration did not deliver the necessary volume of housing units while allowing persons to apply for houses they knew did not exist,” Alexander said.
He added that Persad-Bissessar gave him, Dr Lee and Minister in the Ministry of Housing Anil Roberts “firm instructions to fix it and get families into homes as soon as possible, and we are working diligently at that.”
