Dear Editor,
A letter caught my attention in the Stabroek News edition of Saturday, June 25 authored by Karl Singh (‘The response of the regional administration to the Region 9 flood was timely and unprecedented’). Was Mr Singh really around? I don’t think so, because I was one of first to be flooded out and I had to transport my stuff myself. I was moving out my stuff until 2 in the morning, and at dayclean the water was past my knee in my house and I then had to pay a truck to do the balance of my moving. And unto this day I have not had any flood relief.
I asked for a pair of long boots because those that I had in a place where I stored garden tools had floated away, but the answer was no, we don’t have long boots to share out. Anyhow, I waded through that filthy water with the aid of my son and got out some of my tools. The only visit that I got was from the Health Department.
And concerning those rations and cleaning supplies that were shared out to last 28 days referred to in Mr Singh’s letter, I didn’t see any.
And my house was half way in water. So that is why I agree with Mr John Yow when he said there are people here in Lethem who don’t know what it is to speak for their rights (‘Not all Lethem residents affected by the flood have been assisted’ SN, June 23).
If not you would have seen how many letters would have been written and then you would have known how many families got flood relief. I know some who only got help from the Red Cross with a towel, toothbrush and Colgate.
I am not saying that they did not share out flood relief, but that I was badly affected and got nothing.
So I think when Mr Singh mentioned that he was personally involved in the distribution of supplies where every single home that was flooded received rations and cleaning materials he should try to remember if he stopped by me because I can’t remember seeing him or any team giving out flood relief at my house.
Yours faithfully,
Denton Usher
