Greenvale residents: Keep sending assistance

"PLEASE have mercy and keep the assistance coming."

This was the cry of Anthony Bynoe, one of the many residents in Tubine Avenue, Greenvale Park, La Horquetta, who lost all of his belongings in the catastrophic flooding two weeks ago in east Trinidad.

When Newsday visited the area on Sunday, many residents were still scrubbing floors and walls, washing household items, cars, trucks and power washing their yards.

Bynoe told Newsday since he returned to his home when the water subsided, the mud has dried up on everything making it very hard to clean. He said while the community may look normal, residents are far from a life of normalcy.

“I'm pleading with my fellow citizens, please keep the assistance coming. Since the flood I have been surviving on tin food and I can't wait for the day I'm back to normal to have a plate of a good home-cooked meal.

“While I am thankful for the grants the government is providing, it will not make a dent in the amount of money we have spent over the years to furnish our home. However, as a community we are working and pulling things together bit by bit, but we are in dire need of more help.”

Bynoe said what happened in Greenvale “was no joke,” and prayed no other part of TT or another community would experience what the residents endured almost three weeks ago.

He said the situation has left his family traumatised and every time they hear in the forecast to expect rain, everyone goes into “a panic mode.”

“We have lost absolutely everything.”

Peter Garth Cedeno, 60, was trying to wash off thick mud from a small kitchen cabinet because he could not afford to buy another.

"The grant I am receiving can't replace everything. I have to try and see what I can save which is not much at all. At this age in my life, I have reached a point of desperation which is not good at all. My wife is not well, but every day God blesses us with life.

“It is so hard learning to downgrade from the way in which I am accustomed living. I feel so confused and frustrated. Do you know what it feels like to see something as simple as a fridge you paid more than $10,000 for, floating in muddy waters? I can't afford to buy another one no time soon.”

A mother of three who identified herself only as Susan, said while she is thankful for life for her family, she is now challenged to start all over.

“Since the flooding, sometimes I sit and stare at the walls of my home trying to understand what went wrong. We have lost everything. All my children’s clothes, school books, everything that I have worked so hard for over the years is gone. We now have to start all over again. I will not wish this to happen on my worse enemy. It was just terrible.”

She said the Housing Development Corporation has been very helpful and is working with residents to get their homes back in order.