By CECILY ASSON Sunday, September 6 2009

Members of Parliament Jack Warner (Chaguanas West) and Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj (Tabaquite) on Friday pledged their assistance to Lillya Samaroo, 32, and her daughter Maltie, 18, who have been living in swampy conditions at their humble shack at Seuradge Trace, Debe.

The mother and daughter are victims of an ongoing land dispute in the area. Lillya told Newsday that because she and her daughter refused to leave the piece of land left to her by her father, she has been made to suffer as all water from nearby areas have been drained into her yard.

The shack has no running water or electricity. Lillya said her situation grew worse due to the heavy rainfall. She said it has been three years since they have been living this way.

The two are forced to wear boots at all times inside and outside the house because of the rising water. Although the water has subsided, the place remains with heavy slush and mud. Planks were placed inside for the media to walk through. Officers of the Penal/Debe Corporation were recently forced to intervene and dug drains to allow the water to run off from the yard. Neighbours resisted the move by the workers and police had to be called in. Warner and Maharaj promised to purchase a piece of land and build a home for the mother and daughter.

Warner said: “While we look for a piece of land, we will make the place liveable.

She will remain here temporarily.”

Maharaj also promised to provide Maltie with legal protection while they look for land for the family. Maharaj said no family “should be allowed to live in water and under conditions like this.”

Before making a final decision, Warner and Maharaj visited Tara Dipsingh, the landlord and negotiated to purchase the land on behalf of the embattled family. Dipsingh refused saying it was for her son and that they did not want Lillya living on the land.

Maltie, a student of the Penal Secondary School, secured passes in Physical Education and Agricultural Science and has been given a chance to repeat her CXC examinations next year.

She said: “I really want to pass all my exams and my principal is giving me the chance. I can’t study under these conditions.”

The family’s plight was brought to public attention by school principal Gemma Ramadoo who said she knew Maltie but never knew the conditions under which she lived.

She said: “She is a willing child and I was trying to get electricity to her home and when I visited I realised that her conditions were bad.”