Cox, Government mobilise to help Chaguanas family

Minister of Social Development and Family Services Donna Cox met with the poverty-stricken family of Longdenville, Chaguanas, on Monday afternoon, saying a whole-of-Government approach has been underway to help them.

Cox recalled getting a call on Sunday from the media about the family’s plight.

Ministry officials, including the permanent secretary, immediately visited and dropped off food items for the family at Railway Road.

She told reporters that the ministry’s Family Services Division and the National Social Development Programme (NSDP) also intervened on Sunday to help the family.

Kissoondai "Camini" Jagessar, 42, and her common-law husband Gangaram Ramcharan, 60, live with eight of their children in a dilapidated wooden galvanised shack. The children are 18,15, 13, 12, nine, seven, five, and three.

None of the eight children have a birth certificate. They have never attended school.

Several months ago, Jagessar started the process of getting their certificates. But she did not follow up owing to the pandemic.

The couple’s eldest daughter, Mala, 21, a mother of three, lives in a similar wooden shack about two feet away with her common-law husband and three sons ages four, three, and four months old.

As a child, she stayed temporarily with other relatives. She is the only sibling with a birth certificate. She previously attended a primary school in Arouca up to standard three.

Cox said, "I understand that the Attorney General has also made contact. As children, they need to have their birth certificates and that is on-stream already. Our Family Services Division is standing by to provide as much assistance as possible."

"They (staff) will assist the family in getting their identification cards and their birth certificates. We are also working with the Ministry of Education because of the fact, I understand, that the children are not in school. We need the children to be in school and we will assist as much as possible to have that done."

Cox said on Sunday night she received some photos of and videos on the family and the conditions under which they live. She decided to visit to get a first-hand view as well as to access how her ministry can help.

Cox said she contacted officials from the National Agricultural Marketing Development Company (Namdevco), and they dropped off several food hampers. She thanked Namdevco officials, including chairman Wayne Innis and CEO Nirmala Debysingh-Persad.

She reiterated that she was happy that Namdevco "stepped forward."

Cox said the all-of-government approach is necessary to help vulnerable people in the country.

"We (Social Development Ministry staff) will also be contacting the Ministry of Health because in every area, we will be helping everyone. We will be going through the different ministries."

Jagessar said she had been living at the location for the past 21 years while her common-law husband lived there for more than 40 years.

Cox said officials obtained information, including photos of documents to send to the Land Settlement Agency, considering the family had applied for land regularisation but had not followed up.

"We have to check to find out if they have a deed of comfort. We will be co-ordinating everything through the National Family Services Division of the Ministry.

"Definitely here is too small. Eleven young children are living here. It is not suitable, and we need to help them. This is what we want, to reach out to people in need and help them. It is an integrated approach."

The soft-spoken Jagessar thanked the minister for helping them.

She told Newsday her family was overwhelmed by the responses from Government officials.

"We never expected to see so many people here. We are very happy about all the help. People have also been dropping off items for us."