They are providing more grants, more human resources and additional medical care on the ground.
Cabinet minister Vasant Bharath, Jack Warner and Dr Fuad Khan outlined the heightened efforts at Thursday's post-cabinet media briefing.
Bharath said there are some problems in dealing with the processing of all applications, especially where some people have lost their identification and other important documents in the floods.
He said cabinet agreed to speed up the delivery of all the grants. "That would include the household grant, food grant and of course there were a couple with regards to funeral grants, goods and appliances and so on,” Bharath said. He added Cabinet will “look at giving further grants than we normally do.”
Warner said additional relief teams were on the job Thursday visiting people who have not been seen “to find out what their needs are.” He added that one scavenging contractor has provided more than 250 pieces of equipment “at a moment’s notice” to clear the streets and pick up garbage.
Bharath said there are some problems in dealing with the processing of all applications, especially where some people have lost their identification and other important documents in the floods.
He said cabinet agreed to speed up the delivery of all the grants. "That would include the household grant, food grant and of course there were a couple with regards to funeral grants, goods and appliances and so on,” Bharath said. He added Cabinet will “look at giving further grants than we normally do.”
Warner said additional relief teams were on the job Thursday visiting people who have not been seen “to find out what their needs are.” He added that one scavenging contractor has provided more than 250 pieces of equipment “at a moment’s notice” to clear the streets and pick up garbage.
In addition, he noted that so far 45 persons have been relocated to other accommodation and “over 115 (persons) have been seen and are being given critical equipment to fix their homes.”
Noting Government’s ongoing efforts in Diego Martin continue to receive political criticism, Warner quipped, “ We have passed that stage. We have no intention of answering them. We shall do what we have to do restore normalcy to the lives of the people of Diego Martin and environs.”
Noting Government’s ongoing efforts in Diego Martin continue to receive political criticism, Warner quipped, “ We have passed that stage. We have no intention of answering them. We shall do what we have to do restore normalcy to the lives of the people of Diego Martin and environs.”
Warner dismissed criticism of the relief efforts, saying the opposition PNM finds “comfort in criticism...because it is their work that they criticise.” He disclosed that Planning Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie would be bringing the land policy to Cabinet in September, which would “regulate the building of houses on the hillside.”
The former works minister disagreed that blocked water courses alone caused the flooding as claimed by opposition critics. He wondered why houses were “collapsing on the hillside.”
Khan, the Minister of Health, said he has a report on the number of places in the Diego Martin region that have been sprayed by insect vector control to prevent any incidents of dengue taking place. In addition he said "doctors are on board and we have set up clinics in the various shelters.”
Khan said, “I also have a commitment from the Indian nationals (health volunteers) who tend to roam the country that they will be going there on Sunday and the Red Cross will be setting up a camp so they can see as many people as they can.”
Khan said, “I also have a commitment from the Indian nationals (health volunteers) who tend to roam the country that they will be going there on Sunday and the Red Cross will be setting up a camp so they can see as many people as they can.”
No comments:
Post a Comment