President falls victim to floods

PRESIDENT George Maxwell Richards was among hundreds of persons affected by yesterday’s torrential rains, which caused flooding and landslides in several parts of the country — including near his Maracas Valley home. Other areas hardest hit included St Augustine, Barataria and Port-of-Spain. The President was scheduled to address the opening of a National Food Crop Farmers Association (NFCFA) Convention in Macoya at 1 pm. Heavy thunder showers swept the area around noon and organisers informed the handful of farmers present that the President would be late because of the inclement weather.

Nearly half an hour later, both the farmers and the media were informed that President Richards would not be attending because a landslide close to his home had prevented him from leaving. However when Newsday went to the President’s Valley View home in Maracas Valley, a Special Branch police officer said the President was there and all was well with him. The house itself had suffered no damage from yesterday’s showers either. The officer said the heavy rains had caused minor flooding and land slips in other parts of the Valley and on that basis, it was decided that the President would not attend the function in Macoya.  The NFCFA Convention proceeded without him and while they understood the reasons for his non-attendance, several farmers were disappointed that the President was unable to be there.