No compensation for festive season

WCD flooding

Villagers on the West Coast of Demerara who were affected by mass flooding back in March were expecting to be compensated for their losses for the festive season but this never materialised despite Government’s promises.
After confirmation by the regional officials that no assistance was given thus far, Guyana Times spoke to some of the affected persons and moreover those who suffered.
Karamchand Singh, whose fence was destroyed by the breach, explained that he was unable to repair the structure due to other losses he suffered when his livestock died in the water during that same period.
With constraints to produce an income, he was unable to fix any structures on his property which were damaged. Voicing his concerns along with other persons, he explained that Central Government has made no effort to engage the residents after the flooding.
“The only thing we hearing is that they have to do an assessment and they repairing the seawall. We though we getting this help for the Christmas but like we might never get anything. A lot of us had plenty losses during that time and some people still yet to return to where they used to live,” a distraught Singh related.
Two houses away from him, a widow with three children explained that her one-flat house was completely inundated during the flooding, and she was left to discard most of the items in her house.
“My children clothes and everything get damage. I had to stay by my sister not too far from here till the water go away and by then, the stove and everything damage… We thought we getting something from the Government to help out we but nothing.”
Minister of State Joseph Harmon had informed Guyana Times some time ago that his last visit to the area surfaced discussions about the compensations and it was agreed that the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) of Tuschen-Uitvlugt would make a ‘proper assessment’ of the damages that were cause.
However, the Minister of State posited that no response was generated from the NDC and related that he is awaiting that assessment before a decision is taken on the allocation of monies to the hundreds of affected residents.
Harmon was quoted as saying, “I haven’t heard back from the CDC or from the NDC Chairman. So I think that is where it is. Once that is done, then we can make a decision where that is concerned.”
However, the Tuschen-Uitvlugt NDC Chairman, Vishal Ambedkar told Guyana Times when contacted that the CDC was engaged in separate consultations with a few residents, the Council is unclear as to whether their calculations were ‘comprehensive’ and all the factors surrounding the damages were considered.
Since March of this year, waves from the Atlantic Ocean which were generated during a spring tide battered the seawall, leaving several villages completely inundated by the floodwaters. At that time, the waves pummelled 20 feet over the structure.