Villagers of Kernaham and Cascadoux in Mayaro say they are yet to get any flood relief since last November’s disaster even though hundreds of mattresses and supplies were found stacked under the home of former MP Winston “Gypsy” Peters.
Residents say they have been experiencing perennial flooding for years and are in need of help, proper drainage facilities and maintenance of the waterways as water from Rio Claro, Plum Mitan, Biche and the Nariva Swamp passes through their community before reaching the sea.
Last November heavy rains and flood waters ravaged the coastal communities, killing livestocks and causing millions of dollars in damage to agriculture and property, including the collapse of a large section of the Manzanilla/Mayaro Main Road.
Eleven months later, affected residents said they were yet to meet with any government officials over damage caused by the floods. Each person interviewed spoke of neglect by past governments, saying that it was only at election time they got promises. Some of them also had some heavy criticism for Peters.
In Cascadoux Trace, Roland Taylor recalled that when he stepped into the lower tier of his home, the water was so high that it filled his garden boots. Without any assistance from the State agencies, he said he had to use a pump to empty the water from his home.
His wife, Rita Charles, said many of their neighbours suffered losses in the flood and they too got no help. She recalled: “It had so much water under my house and nobody came to check us and even give us a bottle of water. We have to live just how we are now. You see that Gypsy he did nothing for us.”
Farmer John Charles showed the T&T Guardian team where he was backfilling under his house in preparation for more floods. He said when the waters came last November, he lost two acres of crops and got no compensation from the Government despite several attempts.
Further inside the trace, gardener Albon Charles, who lost ducklings and eggs, said no mattresses, water or food hampers were ever offered to him.
For the people of Kernaham, who suffered heavier flooding, help came from a nearby mosque where members provided food, water and mattresses.
Despite Sonnylal Jonas, 71 and his wife, Sukdaye Budhanie, 68, being recipient of those aids, including a stove from the Muslim community, their wooden house and furniture continue to rot after being swollen in the floods. Since then, she said the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) has only given them a food hamper. Living in poverty, across the road from their home is a dammed water course which floods each time there is heavy rain.
After reading about the mattresses and flood relief supplies found at Peters’ home, she said: “That was very wrong because if you had passed through Cascadoux where my daughter lived, her whole house was flooded out.
“If Mr Gypsy really did that, it was totally wrong. Someone needs to help us, clean out our drains. If the floods come now I don’t know what we will do. No government has done anything for us.”
Almost every house in those communities have water pumps and in giving his take on the disaster, Azzard Hosein, who lives in the link road between both villages,said floods were expected because they built a community in the Nariva Swamp.
He said most homes did not get damaged but acres of produce were lost. However, he said farmers were compensated by the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to newspaper reports, wheelbarrows, mops, buckets and other cleaning items were distributed to flood victims after the disaster.
Some of the aids were supplied by the ODPM, the Mayaro/Rio Claro Regional Corporation, T&T Red Cross Society and food from Prestige Holdings. Several other Non Governmental Agencies also pitched in.