The Guyana Consulate in Port of Spain, Trinidad has received several requests from Guyanese living on the island for financial and other assistance following widespread flooding and devastation.
According to Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenridge, the Guyanese High Commissioner there received one request for assistance in repatriating someone to Guyana while there are several other requests for assistance.
The Foreign Minister was at the time responding to an oral question by Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira during a sitting of the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Teixeira claimed that Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo received information that Guyanese in Trinidad were unable to get advice or assistance from Guyana consulate there.
In response, Minister Greenidge said he was astonished that the Leader of the Opposition would feel that the calls he [Jagdeo] received represent an inability to obtain advice or assistance from the High Commission.
“As of today, the High Commission received one request for assistance in repatriating someone to Guyana… there have been other request for financial assistance,” the Foreign Minister informed.
The Minister further explained that those seeking assistance are due to visit the High Commission to indicate what their needs are.
“I am surprised that it is being suggested here that Guyanese are having difficulties,” Minister Greenidge said before reminding the National Assembly that the High Commission was opened in 2016 and remains “pretty active.”
He also used the opportunity to tell the House that Guyana was looking to render assistance to Trinidad under an existing framework which was initiated in 1999 by the then PPP Government and which was recently renewed.
He said the Civil Defense Commission was currently working to determine what needs the country may have at this time.
Over the days of October 19 and 20, the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago experienced unprecedented rainfall leading to widespread flooding and devastation on the island of Trinidad.
The Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley declared this to be a national disaster as reports revealed that more than 1000 homes were damaged, with around 435 families losing their possessions and over 500 farmers losing entire fields of crops and livestock.
Currently, there more than 100 families still housed in shelters.
While some normalcy is slowing returning, much assistance is still required to aid those families remaining in shelters and those returning to their damaged homes.
