Flood affected victims will be provided with disaster relief assistance through Ministry of Social Development and Family Services (MSDFS), but the grants offered would barely cover the cost of items that were destroyed in the raging waters.
The relief offered through the ministry and Office of the Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) is provided to victims and families whose household items were destroyed beyond use due to natural or man-made disasters.
Farmers whose crops were destroyed can also apply for flood assistance grants.
In outlining the relief, the MSDFS stated that social welfare grants of $10,000 is given to flood victims whose furniture were destroyed.
The nine items include a bed, stove, refrigerator, chest of draws, dining room set, living room set, kitchen cupboard, wardrobe and washing machine.
Each affected person can also collect a clothing grant of $1,000.
Parents of primary and secondary students whose school supplies became water soaked can also obtain $700 and $1,000 grants respectively.
This grant is allowed to students attending school.
Under the National Social Development Programme victims can also obtain a $20,000 grant for house repairs.
These repairs include plumbing, house wiring, house repairs and improved water supplies.
Under food support, the ministry can provide grants of $410 for one to three people, while four to five members in a household can obtain $550. Households exceeding six and more members are entitled to $700.
The ministry stated that different grants require different requirements.
Some of the requirements are ID card, birth paper, personal identification number, utility bills, an estimate from supplier and a Disaster Management Unit report where applicable.
The ministry will also provide psychological and counselling support from the National Family Service Division to affected families to help them cope with and manage stress during their difficult period.
Agriculture Ministry Clarence Rambharat told Guardian Media that his ministry also provides grants to farmers whose fields were wiped out by flood waters.
Rambharat said there was no maximum to these grants, stating that last fiscal payments ranged from a few hundred dollars to over $100,000.
“About 6,500 farmers benefited,” Rambharat said.
As for this flood, Rambharat said extension officers are already out to assess damaged fields, stating that a preliminary count of affected farmers was estimated at 6,000.
Yesterday, a trip to a Port-of-Spain furniture store showed that the $10,000 grant offered to flood victims could barely cover the cost of the nine household items outlined by the MSDFS.
Giving the cheapest prices, it would cost a flood victim roughly $23,607 to replace these nine items. To fully furnish their home it would cost far more.
Shennecia Beatrice whose home at Greenvale, La Horquetta was flooded out, complained that the $700 school grant would be inadequate for her nine-year-old son, a Standard Three pupil, since she forked out $2,200 in text books and supplies in August.
Beatrice said when she calculated the cost to replace the furniture and appliances in her home it had crossed $60,000.
Just recently, Beatrice said she bought $2,700 scratch and dent stove and $3,000 wardrobe.
She also had a $10,000 leather upholstered living room set.
“Honestly, the grants will not cover our overall losses. It’s just a drop in the bucket,” Beatrice pointed out.
Victim Marcia St John also of Greenvale said the floodwaters ruptured several indoor pipelines and her home needed to be rewired, which could cost upward of $ 20,000 to replace.
“I hear to rewire a house could cost over $10,000 as the wires are very expensive. That is just an estimation I got. And I not talking about labour yet,” St John said.
Flood victim, Jenna Ragoonanan who has four children intends to apply for a $550 food grant. Ragoonath of flood-affected Oropune admitted that her average grocery bill is around $2,000 monthly.
Ragoonanan said with an influx of applicants she was unsure if she would be a recipient.
“I am not expecting anything. I am keeping my fingers crossed,” Ragoonanan said.
Bamboo No 1 farmer Bisnath Ragoonath estimated the losses to his six acres of crops at $250,000.
Ragoonath said he intends to put in a flood assistance claim but was unsure if he would get back what he had invested.
“You don’t ever get back full compensation,” Ragoonath said.
