Minister Hazel's Expert Assessment
It seems that Mrs. Manning cannot chew gum, walk and talk at the same time. At one point she states that the squatters are responsible for the flooding problem; at another she says they contributed. Which s it, oh dear expert, we are confused. This gov't knew of the squatters and the problems they were creating, but did nothing to stop them while they settled in and made claims to their 'estate'. Why is it that squatters in some parts of the country have their homes and possessions destroyed, leaving them to survive under the stars, while others are left to settle themselves and claim ownership. Is this gov't cross-eyed or involved in 'smart' planning. Mrs. Manning the floods throughout the country are caused by a number of reasons - the lay of the land, lack of proper drainage and maintenance, neglect by gov't departments, and human lack of respect for their community, etc. The gov't must take the largest portion of the blame because it has not upheld all the rules and regulations on the books, and they too have been constructing, and destroying the land leaving it in poor conditions. They have not upgraded the drainage system and their developments have overburdened our tributaries and drains we like to call drainage. Mrs. Manning gives us a lot of usual beaurocratic mumbo jumbo about assessment, drawing board, etc. What we need is simple - straight forward information - in plain and simple english that the average citizen can comprehend. The people with the most valuable knowledge about what caused the floods and what should be done to alleviate this problem are the people of the soil, the farmers and those who have spent their entire lives working our lands. Our gov't experts should have some serious consultation sessions with them: They will learn some valuable lessons, not found in formal education. It is a sorry sight to see our people in such a horrible situation having lost all their worldy goods, and feeling defenseless. Prevention, Mrs. Manning should be the word of the day.

So the squatters did it!....and all this time we were ascribing blame to clogged drains and water-courses...Madame Minister, we are enlightened by your wisdom...please forgive our ignorance....

Squatters or Over Development in Hilly Areas Mrs Manning?
Oh gorm Mrs Manning, as someone who once worked Town & Country, you should know when your staff feeding you wrong information. Anyone with even the smallest bit of common sense could see that the rapid development of hilly areas without proper drainage or planning is what is causing this trouble for poor people.

http://dsaltsman.blogspot.com/

Even Noah couldn't 'brakes' from that one (with apologies to Christians). Imagine if it was rain for 40 days and 40 nights!.

Surely, blame it on the rain and nobody could fault you for that, Madame Minister.

What is even more critical is if ALL bona fide victims of flooding would be EQUITABLY assisted. And don't tell us you're giving bona fide farmers 50cents and 6dollars for their crops. All eyes are on you, Madame Minister.
ajfyzabadbutlertown

Instead of pointing fingers, why not take definitive action.

To the community at large; stop dumping your rubbish in drains and rivers and on the side of the road, because your continued disrespect of your own environment contributes to the flooding that you are experiencing. The government cannot come into your backyard and clean up your rubbish. Stop blaming the government for all the ills of society and start taking responsibility for your own actions. Teach your childern to dispose of there rubbish in the correct manner. Get your neighbours involved in a drive to clean up your village or community. The government cannot do everything.

To the governmnet; stop looking for people and failed systems to blame. Stop trying to educate the public about some supposed failed assasination attempt, and deal with the rampant corruption in the police service and the government sector at large, and finally do all those things that you've been promising to do every time election comes around. Its no good if you pave the road every election, but the drains are clogged with rubbish. Its no good that you continue to waste millions of dollars on URP projects when all the parties concerned continue to stroll in after 9 every morning, and proceed to sit on the side of the road and read papers, drink beer, smoke cigaratte and talk nonsense.

This country is in desparate need of change, and the infantile bickering between grown men and women who call themselves educated people gives no proper example for young people to emulate.

Minister Manning could do the country a favor by being less vocal with her responses about the perennial flooding. While one cannot get used to it, apparently it is now a part of life in T & T. I remember attending primary school in PORT OF SPAIN--THE NATION'S CAPITAL and looking forward to getting half day off from school because the East Dry River had overflown it's banks AGAIN causing massive flooding throughout the environs. As much as I loved having my father don rubber boots (in some instances) and giving me the piggy back ride home through sometimes waist high water at the age of 8 even I got tired of it. It bothered me more when my mother had to do it if my father was not home. Worse yet was standing at the top of the street seeing home but because of the raging waters I just had to wait an endless wait while my parents tried to signal that I should stay put. As I got older I became hopeful that at some point the powers that be would see to it that engineers whose job it is to design and implement measures to avoid floods come up with solutions. Why oh why if the locals could not do this did they not hire foreigners (whom they now have an affinity for) do the fixing? Now this lady is taking about drawing board and going back there--come on, this is not a new problem. Listen, the Emperor, his boys and girls are operating like bats in daylight--clueless!! I am so very disappointed at the way the country's basic issues are being treated. SERVICE in the various public sectors is so horribly broken yet the mouthers are out there bellowing. People need to take a stronger stand in dictating their own paces...because the government has proven yet again that they don't know what the heck they are doing.

I tend to agree with Madame Manning's statement that squatters are responsible for the flooding, but who, Madame Manning, is responsible for the influx of squatters?

Rik Hansel

Surprise she didn't blame the rain for the floods!!!
But who's job is it to keep the drains clear etc..just like her husband,she's trying to blame everybody else,and not take responsibility...
They are both truly incompetent!!!

Fred from Corinth

Minister Hazel, do you really think the TT public is stupid? Can you quantify what you mean by squatters contributing to "much" of the floodin?. If ever "much" was an un-scienticfic word we were taught at high school not to use in Stats & maths, this is a prime example of a dunce statement. So we have flooding from St Augustine and I have been in these floods, I could not in the past see a squatter fom a wallaby. Come on Hazel, we are not dumb people, please leave it off, Treat us with respect, stop the spin both you and Pat and Imbert, This is another 5 year development project we should do to alleviate the floods, Stop blaming the squatters wherever they are. spend the money you have saved up not on Al plants but giving the TT public the value for the natural resources you are i/c of reaping. You are i/c of the Govt, so fix the floods. Move out the squatters and I bet you still get floods.

While we're on the topic madaam minister who's to blame for the state of crime, health care , BILLIONS of dollars down the drain and the average man catching his nen-nen to make a honest days living?

She's quite right is local ppl particularly Indians that do this nastyness throwing everything they don't want into the rivers of our homeland despoiling it (while some like Sat claim they are for the am "envioronment"

“It seems squatting, the illegal and irresponsible occupation of land, has contributed to the floods,” she said. “They are cutting away land in many of the areas, and it is flowing into the wetlands...The impact of the illegal occupation of the land presents a problem at this time.”............quote.

And Government contributes to squatters, and squatters do have jobs and pay tax like everyone else. This is what happens when the NHA only provides housing services to a selected few.

While one can appreciate the dislike for the Mannings, nearly every post here is mere emotion acting without the benefit of intellect. Little wonder we are unwilling to progress... we too busy hating to see any sense. Squatters will get electricity and even phone and internet service to support their illegal acts, and in the process clear off enough land to contribute significantly to the problem of flooding. That, together with regular citizens who litter and dump indiscriminately as well as the slow pace at which local government cleans up after us, will surely make sure YOU ALL keep shovelling mud and silt from your dwellings for years to come.

Buncha dumb idiots... keep spewing hatred, don't attempt to THINK, you might hurt yourselves...