Housing for Cedros residents

ENERGY Minister Franklin Khan yesterday said eight families whose homes were damaged as a result of coastal erosion at Bamboo Village in Cedros, could be provided with temporary housing in Point Fortin. Khan made the disclosure in the Senate. The minister said at 7 am yesterday, social workers from the Housing Development Corporation’s (HDC) social and community relations department went to Cedros and did an assessment of the affected families.

Khan said eight families presented themselves as, “in need of emergency housing.” He said there is vacant HDC housing in Point Fortin and it is very likely these families will be provided with temporary housing there. Khan also said the affected families will be interviewed and assessed by social workers from the Social Development and Family Services Ministry between yesterday and today.

He said some of the relief which this ministry provides includes house repairs up to $20,000, $1,000 in school supplies per secondary school studnet and house rental of $2,500 per month for an initial period of three months. Khan was certain that transportation arrangements would be made for any primary school students whose homes were damaged.

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan said his ministry has a team on site doing assessments. Disclosing that drones and another technology are being used to assess the extent of the erosion, Sinanan said it would be premature to make any recommendations until the assessment is complete. Sinanan said he expected the assessment to be completed yesterday and receive a report on it today. He said the objective is to identify whether other properties are at risk and the cause of the cliff failure.