Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Dec 05, 2014 News
“More than 400 residents were affected by that flooding; we are still counting our losses.
When we calculate the money the Government giving, each household will receive not more than $27,000 and we paid more than that to clean our yards, so this is unacceptable.”
This was the assertion made by more than two dozen irate Peter’s Hall and Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) residents who watched helplessly as water rushed into their homes after a koker located between the villages collapsed in October last.
During a meeting with Social and Political Activist, Mark Benschop yesterday, the residents registered their frustration and disapproval over the “$11M offer” made by the government. They claimed that the government has “no feelings” for the people.
“It is time they treat us with some respect. The president should put himself in our position. We worked years to buy those things. I bought a fridge from Courts and it took me four years to pay for it,” a resident, Thomas (only name given) stressed.
He lamented that it was painful for him to look at how the water destroyed his appliances and other items within seconds.
“I am still hurt. Imagine, I only finish paying for my fridge three months before the flooding…the Government eye pass we. We vote and put them there and they gon give we $27,000 when I paid $240,000 alone for my fridge,” the resident exclaimed.
Other residents claimed that days after the flooding, the Minister of Local Government, Norman
Whittaker visited the two communities, and instead of sympathizing with them, appeared to be trying to promote his party.
“We refuse to listen to him and we told him to go and tell Ramotar that we are not accepting the $11M. At the meeting, he embarrassed us, he told us that some of us don’t have electricity and we claiming for fridge and so,” Bibi Haniff recalled.
According to one resident, “the man that come tell we about the $11M the government giving we, come in a $30M vehicle.”
The residents claimed that the flooding is a major setback for the Christmas holiday.
“We like to dress up Christmastime, but now we gotta think about replacing what we lost in the flood.”
This newspaper was informed that a meeting will be held on Sunday to discuss the way forward which, according to most of the residents, will be a protest in front of the Office of the President.
“They cannot give us $27,000 and expect us to stay quiet. This is nonsense and we will speak out against this injustice. We are not accepting this money… some of us had to stay home from work for two weeks just to clean,” Haniff explained.
Benschop said that although he was not affected by the flooding, he will support the affected residents in whatever decision they make.
“The Government cannot give these people $11M and expect them to stay quiet… that is total eye pass and I will support them in whatever decision they make to go forward,” the Social and Political Activist emphasized.
Meanwhile, calls to Minister Whittaker in relation to the latest development went unanswered.
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Apr 19, 2024
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