The Ministry of the People and Social Development has given clothing and food supplies to ten families who recently lost their homes in fires. The three fires occurred last week in Morvant, Enterprise, Chaguanas, and on Duncan Street, Port-of-Spain. In the Duncan Street fire on Friday, six-year-old Ronase Osbourne was burnt to death in her aunt’s apartment.
The affected families were invited to the ministry on St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, on Monday, where they received clothing and registered for assistance programmes. Speaking at the event, Minister of the People and Social Development Dr Glenn Ramadhar-
singh said, “The ministry has been experiencing some heartfelt events over the last few weeks and we are committed as a ministry to do all that we can to construct policies that will benefit the people.”
The families received clothing as part of the ministry’s Make a Smile Shine (MASS) campaign. “The MASS programme is about giving clothing—donated by designers, businesses and the public—to the poor and the challenged.” Ramadharsingh also said the ministry would incorporate first-aid training in any event it hosted in the future.
“Every event that we have, we will include a first-aid programme so people can save lives with their own hands.” In an interview during the event, a single mother of eight described her predicament to the T&T Guardian. “I live under the apartment where the six-year-old girl died. Everything came down to my apartment—water, ceiling, everything.” The woman, who preferred not to say her name, said Ramadharsingh told them they would receive emergency accommodation, but she had not received anything yet.
“Right now I’m staying by a friend,” she said. “It is very small because I have eight kids.” Recalling Friday’s events, she said, “I was at work at the time and I got a call. I came home and met my apartment soaked, everything wet down, my children outside. “I don’t have anything right now. Furniture, mattresses, kids’ clothes were destroyed. Everything was destroyed.”