Al-Rawi: Exaggeration does not help flood victims

RURAL Development and Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi says exaggerations fuelled by political motives are not helpful to people who were affected by flooding on November 14.

He made this comment in response to a question from Couva North MP Ravi Ratiram in the House of Representatives on November 15.

Al-Rawi observed that the question filed by Ratiram spoke about “hundreds of residents in south Trinidad” who were affected by floods and not the over 10,000 people that Penal/Debe Regional Corporation (PDRC) chairman Gowtam Maharaj said on November 14 were affected.

He said, “I note that the honourable member is correctly referring to hundreds of residents whereas the chairman of the corporation has said 10,000 people being under water.”

Al-Rawi added, “Exaggeration helps no one.”

He sought to assure MPs that all relevant agencies had been actively working to deal with the floods and its effects.

Al-Rawi said those efforts included the provision of relief supplies to several local government corporations, including the PDRC.

He identified cleaning supplies, food hampers, drinking water, mattresses and blankets among those items.

Al-Rawi said, “We have engaged in clean-up and sanitation exercises. Both during and now at present, post-flooding events.”

He added these exercises are being co-ordinated with entities such as the National Security Ministry, police, TT Defence Force, fire service, Public Utilities Ministry, Education Ministry and Social Development and Family Services Ministry.

Field assessments, Al-Rawi continued, to gather information about people affected by flooding are ongoing as usual.

He said, “We have mobilised 600 CEPEP workers every day who are engaged in the field. Approximately 7,200 man hours have been deployed already which will continue in operation.”

Contrary to the wording of the question he filed to Al-Rawi, Ratiram said, “Instead of hundreds (of people affected by flooding), it is tens of thousands plus that is ongoing.”

Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George told Ratiram this was not an opportunity for him to make a statement but ask questions of Al-Rawi.

Ratiram boasted that Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and PDRC officials made “a swift response” on November 13, distributing cleaning supplies and other items to people affected by flooding in Penal.

He asked Al-Rawi when drinking water financial assistance grants would be made available to people in Penal/Debe who were affected by flooding.

Al-Rawi said he had to reject Ratiram’s attempt to now claim 10,000 people in Penal were affected by flooding after initially saying only hundreds of people were affected.

“It is wrong, inaccurate and foolish, respectfully.”

He added that Persad-Bissessar’s actions as Siparia MP to help constituents affected by flooding was not swift but expected.

“Like all members in the government and the PDRC. That is what we are there to do.”

While Persad-Bissessar’s actions were commendable, Al-Rawi said, “It is the role of an MP to do those things.”

He repeated that the ministry’s personnel, CEPEP and members of other agencies have been deployed to address the concerns of people affected by flooding.

Annisette-George upheld an objection raised by Al-Rawi about St Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen “cackling” while he was speaking.

She told Ameen to control herself.

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