Tornado victims get Govt help to rebuild

EIGHT families affected by last Friday’s tornado at Blitz Village Extension, Pleasantville, expressed their pleasant surprise, and in one instance shock, after receiving an estimated $80,000 in purchase orders from a senior Government official yesterday.

Acting Prime Minister Joan Yuille-Williams made the presentation to the affected residents at the National Commission for Self Help Ltd (NCSHL) south regional offices, Birjah Building, Independence Avenue, San Fernando. According to Yuille-Williams, who also holds the Community Development and Culture portfolio, the assistance was provided through the Minor Repair Reconstruction Grant Programme (MRRG), managed by the Community Development Ministry through the NCSHL. She said a NCSHL representative was dispatched to the village after learning of the incident and urged residents to band together to rebuild their homes.

“We have to understand that the idea of community means that you help me and I will help you and together we can help rebuild ourselves and our communities,” she said. But it was Blitz Village Extension resident, Dexter Cooper, who expressed the emotions of residents, when in thanking the Commission, said “we did not expect any help so soon. “I did not expect any grant so soon, but I did not expect my house to be affected by the tornado either, so I am very grateful for the help,” he said. Another affected resident, Meena Boodoo Ramdhanie, said she was “very thankful” for the assistance.  Also attending the presentation were NCSHL Ag CEO, Edward Husbands, and  directors Rodney Butler and Junior Gittens.