Kamla to Govt: Don't pass the buck on floods

Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has advised Government to stop "passing the buck" and take its responsibility seriously to provide for citizens hit hard by last month's floods.

“It is the responsibility of any government to protect and provide for its people, and I urge this administration to take this responsibility seriously and ensure that all affected citizens are cared for and are given the help they need to return to some level of normalcy. The strategy of passing the buck has exhausted an already beleaguered population.”

She was addressing Ladies Night at the National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC) Divali Nagar, Chaguanas on Friday evening.

Persad-Bissesssar said the floods which inundated communities in east and central Trinidad had not only “washed away the worldly possessions of many families” but had produced a “great outpouring of love, compassion and charity” from people.

“During those days when we went out to help, I was able to reflect on how despite the many challenges we face as a nation, we are able to rise as a people and be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. It was heart-wrenching to witness the extreme misery, but also so fulfilling to see the extent to which our people were volunteering–often putting their own lives at risk – to lend a helping hand.”

However, she said what was also highlighted was the “absence of care, compassion or empathy by some in positions of power, towards the victims of the devastating floods.”