A total of 57 flood victims received cheques of $10,000 each yesterday at their MP Prakash Ramadhar’s St Augustine Constituency office, Pasea Road, Tunapuna. Minister of the People and Social Development Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh who addressed the flood victims, said his Ministry would ensure all those who were needy and vulnerable would be able to get on their feet. He said the grant for natural disaster was raised from $7,500 to $15,000. However, these recipients were given a one-time payment of $10,000.
“We are here to give some support for their loss of furniture and appliances and ensure there is no double receipt. In the past few years we saw an increase in natural disasters. No one can predict when they occur,” he said. Ramadharsingh said there was heavy flooding in the east/west corridor between August and September last year. He said there were other grants available to assist ,such as the Rental Grant and the Sowing, Empowerment through Entrepreneurial Development grant that has been raised from $5,000 to $15,000.
“We are not encouraging supplication but empowerment. People can also receive skill and retraining after receiving assistance from the state,” he said. Ramadhar said the constituency office has been working in collaboration with the Ministry of Works to stop the flooding that occurred every year in the area.