Grande businesses suffer losses

Floodwaters did not spare KFC in the heart of the central business district of Sangre Grande yesterday. PHOTO BY ENRIQUE ASSOON
Floodwaters did not spare KFC in the heart of the central business district of Sangre Grande yesterday. PHOTO BY ENRIQUE ASSOON

Almost every business along the Eastern Main Road in Sangre Grande was severely affected by flooding. President of the Sangre Grande Chamber of Commerce Ricardo Mohammed yesterday estimated the figure at 90 per cent.

He said from the roundabout to Dass Hardware, most businesses were flooded, some for the first time in over 30 years.

There was already a lot of cleaning up to do, and a lot of losses, though the actual costs had not yet been determined, he said, and business owners were still expecting the worst, because the country was anticipating another two days of rainfall similar to Thursday’s and Friday’s.

“The average place, where you would normally get six inches of water during a very heavy downpour, with the occasional flash flooding, apparently got approximately three feet of water. Other places got five to six feet of water. It took everyone by surprise.”

He said Chamber members were wondering why it happened and asked if the waterways were not properly dredged, or if some of the developments around Sangre Grande triggered the severe flooding. They were also disappointed by the response of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM).

“One of the concerns is that the ODPM should have been a little more vigilant in monitoring the rise of water. They should have had ground troops already prepared and waiting to assist people in those hardest-hit areas.”

One of the businesses affected was KFC in Sangre Grande. Prestige Holdings CEO Simon Hardy said their branches in Sangre Grande and St Helena were flooded and closed until management could assess the state of the outlets and if there had been any damage. He said some staff at branches in nearby areas struggled to get home on Friday night and to work yesterday morning, so those stores were working at lower efficiency, but were doing their best to keep the service going.

However, instead of focusing on its difficulties, Prestige was doing what it could to help.

“We reached out to some organisations to say that we are ready, willing and waiting to provide support, whether to the relief volunteers or those who are being put out of house because their homes were flooded out.”

He said the company contacted the TT Fire Services and the disaster-relief co-ordinators of the Tunapuna /Piarco and Mayaro/Rio Claro regional corporations and would be providing meals when the number of people who needed support was determined.

Hardy said the company had already provided meals to Fire Service officers in Arima, 100 meals to the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation for volunteers, and pizzas to the Arima Mayor’s office.

“We are also doing a donation drive with our Subway brand. We are trying to get as many people’s support as we can at this stage, and then we are working with the disaster relief authorities, particularly tomorrow (today), when they have a better idea of how many people are in their shelters, so we could provide meals for those affected.”

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