By RHONDOR DOWLAT Saturday, August 21 2010

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LOVELY LATOYA: Miss Trinidad and Tobago 2010 LaToya Woods appears on stage during a preliminary event of the 2010 Miss Universe Competition in Las Veg...

TT RED Cross Disaster Co-ordinator Richard Zamora, who manages the government-designate shelter at the Waterloo High School in Carapichaima, yesterday confirmed volunteers sometimes have to use their own money to purchase food for residents at the shelter.

Explaining why this was so, Zamora said when a shelter is identified, it is for a 72-hour basis and victims of floods or any disaster, are given a hamper from the Government. He said after the 72 hour-period and upon assessment, if the victims’ homes are still to be cleaned and sanitised they are given “grace periods” to stay longer at the shelter. He said during this time, they are usually supplied with food from volunteers, mainly from the business community and only when, he said, the food delivery is delayed or there is none, he and other officials may have to “dip their hands into their own pockets” to purchase food for the victims and their families.

The TT Red Cross Disaster Unit along with the Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA) work as volunteers to the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation’s Disaster Management Unit. The unit is headed by Ravi Ramanath. Zamora said there are about 15 persons, including children at the shelter, and currently they are either sponsoring meals or asking food outlets to “sponsor”.

“We really try our best not for the victims to go hungry and we really go all out to ensure that they are fed and there is so much more that we do at the shelter. Currently, we are seeking apartments for some of the victims, including a woman who has a handicapped child,” Zamora said. “The ones who are still at the shelter, its just as soon as their homes are cleaned and sanitised they will go back to their homes. Currently there is a woman and her children whose home has already been cleaned, sanitised and dried and she is due to leave some time today,” he added.

Four families who sought refuge at the shelter after severe flooding over two weeks ago, have not been provided with any meals for the past week.

As a result, they have been eating only Crix biscuits and drink bottled-water donated to the shelter by concerned citizens.

On Thursday evening, Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial promised to look into the situation at the shelter and give an update to Newsday by yesterday.

However, up to press time Ramdial had not returned phone calls and text messages sent to an official at her Couva North Constituency Office, Old Southern Main Road, Chaguanas.