St Augustine family still seeking home to rent

The St Augustine family whose house was damaged by a collapsed retaining wall on July 15 still has no place to stay, although the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation has offered them a housing grant of $2,500 a month.

Newsday revisited the house on Monday and spoke to Aquimer Charles, a resident of the damaged house and the mother of five young children.

She said the family has had to relocate from place to place, with their latest temporary home being with a family friend in Morvant.

Charles acknowledged the precarious nature of that situation: "She and her family helping us, but their house could be at risk too. It's an HDC apartment and it have a limited amount."

She lamented that landlords are unwilling to accept the government grant

She said finding a place to rent would give them some stability and stop them feeling they were being a burden on anyone else.

"We looking around, calling around, and is either they don't want to accept the government grant or they not accepting children."

Asked if she had been given any update on when repairs to the house might be completed, she said, "We don't know right now, because it's based on the weather conditions. If they go to do anything and more rain fall, then more debris would come down. So it will take some time, and that I can understand."

Charles was eager to eventually return to live in her home, saying, "The place is not bad at all. It's a good house.

"It's just the construction of the wall has to be done much better this time around to avoid anything like this happening again."

Councillor for the area Corey Selvon said he was helping the family as best as possible. At present, they are waiting for the site to be cleared and Works and Transport engineers to complete an asessment so a plan can be made.

He added that the family of seven had received immediate assistance in the form of a food card.

Newsday tried to contact Indra Chaitan, owner of the house whose wall collapsed, but did not get an answer.