NDP committed to helping flood victims

The opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) says that it intends to do all that it possibly can to lend support to those who have been adversely affected by last week’s heavy rains.{{more}}

Leader of the Opposition Arnhim Eustace on Monday, on the New Times radio programme, said that he had visited some of the worst affected areas across the country, including South and North Leeward, Georgetown and South Rivers.

He said that he spent time walking around and visiting the homes of some who had been affected in some way by the weather system, which made its way over the country on December 24.

“This rainstorm that we had, to my mind, will affect more lives than Hurricane Tomas,” Eustace said.

He explained further that he thought that there was a lot that was unseen and that a lot of time would have to be spent helping people to get their lives back in order.

“It is a serious national disaster,” Eustace said.

He said that the members of the NDP had met earlier Monday, and were in contact with some local and overseas organizations to receive assistance.

According to Eustace, the party is also sorting out a mechanism which would allow for the smooth movement of supplies that are to be sent out to where they were needed the most.

He said that they had identified five constituencies that had been most affected — North and North Central Windward and all three Leeward constituencies.

“Those are the constituencies most affected and we will do everything we can,” he said.

“So, we will receive goods at the headquarters and funding and we have appointed two individuals in each of those constituencies who will have the responsibility to ensure that items coming to the headquarters get out immediately,” Eustace continued.

He said the party was equipped with names and addresses of affected persons and it is hoped that contact would be made with these persons soon.

He described what he saw, saying that it was “really heartbreaking.”

The Leader of the Opposition said that he visited the families who recorded fatalities in Buccament and Rose Bank, saying that he was in discussion with them to see what could be done.

He promised that he would be making “intense” efforts to contact people overseas to send materials.

Eustace said that he spent a lot of time going into people’s houses.

“More so than usual in incidents of this type, because a great deal of the damage comes from the water,” he said.

He commented that he saw the water marks on the walls of some homes – which resulted in everything in the house being lost.

Among the villages he visited, Eustace mentioned Pepper Village in Spring Village, where he said he went into at least 20 homes.

“Nothing is there – the fridge and stove are outside, the bed, sponge everything is outside.”

He added that some children lost their school books, uniforms and computers, because the water level was too high.

“There is nothing they can do, so they now have to rebuild,” Eustace said.(DD)