SOCIAL Development and Family Services Minister Donna Cox rejected claims from St Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen that her ministry responded unsatisfactorily to help her constituents when they were affected by flooding last December.
Speaking on a matter on the adjournment of the House of Representatives on Monday, Ameen said $10,000 disaster relief grants which were available from the ministry under the former UNC-led People's Partnership government have not increased but everything else has.
"The value of that flood relief grant has depreciated."
Ameen claimed her constituents submitted applications for grants from the ministry, saying, "These are not people who were making up a story."
She claimed her constituents have been waiting for relief from the ministry since last year.
In response, Cox said a total of 1.318 applications for flood relief were processed by her ministry in relation to last December's flooding, 286 cheques were disbursed with 26 of them being for St Augustine constituents.
Efforts are underway to contact those people who have not collected their cheques.
Cox said out of a total of $14.8 million spent on household and clothing grants in relation to last December's flooding, $6 million of those grants were for St Augustine constituents.
She added it was unfortunate that Ameen could describe this and other efforts by her ministry to help her constituents as unsatisfactory.
Cox reminded MPs there must always be balance between bringing speedy relief to people affected by natural disasters while eliminating the opportunities for others to use such situations to commit fraud.
We are not going to go into a community, open a car trunk and distribute food cards to anyone passing by as some have done in the past."
Cox said the ministry also follows the advice of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management about not driving through flooded areas with water between six inches to two feet in depth.
She added it is easy for vehicles, including pickups and SUVs, to become stranded or swept away in flood waters of that depth.
In response to a separate matter on the adjournment raised by Chaguanas West MP Dinesh Rambally, Minister in the Ministry of Works and Transport Richie Sookhai said the Agriculture Ministry provides relief to farmers and fisher folk who are affected by flooding.
"Over the last five years, the ministry has distributed $130 million in flood relief compensation."
Sookhai said this relief went to approximately 12,000 farmers.
He said his ministry has some 168 projects in Central Trinidad which are aimed at reducing flooding.
