Help load dump trucks

Despite his home and office being flooded out Friday night, Kelly Village/Warrenville councillor Samuel Sankar was out on the field attending to distressed villagers. Yesterday Sankar said he lost a computer, electronic items and important documents in his office while his home was inundated with flood waters.

However it did not deter him from attending to the needs of the more than 10,000 people who were severely affected by the devastating floods last weekend.

Sankar told Newsday he used a tractor owned by farmer Richard Singh to assist him in rescuing people from as much as four feet of water.

Sankar said he has not had a good night’s rest since last and thanked everyone who chipped in to assist in the rescue operation, those who cooked hot meals and served them to the affected residents and others who contributed hampers and cleaning products.

Yesterday Sankar who is based at the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation advised residents of Warrenville and Kelly Village that attempts are being made to have their flood damaged items taken away before the end of the week.

He said the flood damaged items could be a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects and he has been having discussions with contractors and sub-contractors along with the corporation to have trucks discard the flood damaged appliances.

He urged residents who may have resources to assist to do so, but pleaded with affected villages to assist workmen in placing damaged items into trucks to have the removals speeded up.

“There is a work plan as we speak to organise the removal of household appliances destroyed by flood waters and although there are some challenges, we intend to have all areas cleaned up by the end of the week so that people could move on and replace some of their lost items”.

He said that the people of Warrenville should receive phone calls informing them when they will collect their cheques from the Social Development Ministry and added that he was pleased about the support victims were receiving since last weekend.

Sankar assured that he is trying to get the Ministry of Health to do some spraying in the affected areas but asked residents to exercise some patience as he attempts to assist them in the aftermath of the floods.

Yesterday Warrenville residents complained bitterly about not seeing their MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh over the period of the flooding. They said the MP never visited their homes or offered them any words of comfort.

“We know he was in some places in St Helena but we never saw him in Warrenville”, said some disgruntled residents yesterday.