- The Honourable Ernesto Kesar, Minister in the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries and Member of Parliament for Point Fortin
- The Honourable Clyde Elder, Minister in the Ministry of Public Utilities, and Member of Parliament for La Brea
- Senator Dr. Natalie Chaitan- Maharaj, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services
- Mr. Ryan Ramcharan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services
- Ms. Vera Deonanan-Balkaran, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services.
- Ms. Patricia De Leon Henry, National Director, National Social Development Programme
- Staff of the Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services
- Esteemed Grant Recipients
- Ladies and Gentlemen
Good morning.
When disaster strikes, it does not knock politely at your front door or announce its arrival in advance. Simply it just strikes without warning.
It crashes in with heavy rain, fierce winds, and in a matter of hours, it can undo years of hard work. It can soak mattresses, damage walls, lift galvanize from roofs, and leave families standing in uncertainty, asking, Where do we go from here or who do we turn to?
Today, we at the Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services answers that question.
We go forward, together.
Today is not merely a distribution.
It is a declaration that families in Point Fortin will not be left to rebuild on their own.
It is a reaffirmation that Government must respond with compassion, urgency and tangible support when citizens are at their most vulnerable.
Today, the Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services will distribute Disaster General Assistance Grants and a Home Repair Grant to families right here in this region.
Specifically:
- One (1) Home Repair Grant will assist one household comprising three (3) beneficiaries in the amount of twentyfour thousand, two hundred and fifty-nine dollars ($24,259.00).
- Seven (7) Disaster General Assistance Grants will assist seven households comprising twenty-four (24) beneficiaries in the amount of sixty-eight thousand, eight hundred dollars ($68,800.00).
In total, eight (8) households, representing twenty-seven (27) beneficiaries, will receive assistance amounting to ninety-three thousand and fifty-nine dollars ($93,059.00).
But let us understand something clearly.
This is not just ninety-three thousand dollars.
This is relief.
This is security.
This is a roof that no longer leaks over a child’s bed.
This is the replacement of essential household items lost to flood waters.
This is the restoration of dignity inside a home that was shaken by disaster.
Disaster does not discriminate. It does not ask about status or circumstance. It disrupts lives abruptly and without warning. And when it does, the role of Government is clear, to stand in the gap between crisis and recovery.
That is the mandate of this Ministry.
We are here to help.
We are here to empower.
We are here to transform lives.
And transformation sometimes begins with something as fundamental as restoring a wall, repairing a roof, or replacing what was lost.
To the families receiving assistance today, I want to say this, this support is an investment in your stability and your recovery as citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.
You did not choose the heavy rains.
You did not choose the damage.
You did not choose the setback.
But today, you are choosing resilience.
You are choosing to rebuild.
You are choosing to move forward.
The Home Repair Grant will allow critical structural works to be undertaken, strengthening the physical integrity of a house so that it once again becomes a safe haven.
The Disaster Relief Grants will help families restore essential living conditions such as basic necessities that make a house liveable again.
These are not luxuries. These are fundamentals.
And I must pause to commend the hardworking officers of the Ministry, our NSDP Director, Social Welfare Officers, our technical teams, our administrative staff, who conduct site visits, assessments and documentation with professionalism and empathy.
Behind every grant distributed today is a process.
Behind every file is a field visit.
Behind every approval is a conversation with a family navigating distress.
Public service is not paperwork alone. It is people work.
To the twenty-seven (27) beneficiaries represented here, children, parents, elders, I say this. May this assistance bring you peace of mind.
To the parents. May this ease the burden you carry.
To the children. May your homes once again feel safe, dry and secure.
Because when a home is damaged, it is not just wood and concrete that are affected. It is a family’s sense of stability. It is their sense of normalcy. It is their emotional security.
Recovery is both physical and psychological.
Point Fortin is known for its resilience. This is a community that understands strength. And today, that strength is being reinforced by action.
Every dollar allocated reflects a commitment, a commitment to responsive governance, to coordinated disaster recovery, and to protecting the vulnerable.
Today is not the end of recovery.
It is the beginning of rebuilding.
And as Minister, I reaffirm that this Ministry remains committed to continuous improvement in disaster response, ensuring that families receive timely intervention, that processes remain transparent, and that assistance reaches those who need it most.
To the eight (8) households represented here, as you rebuild, know that you are not alone.
Your country stands with you.
Your Government stands with you.
Your community stands with you.
I stand with you.
May your homes be restored.
May your spirits be strengthened.
May your future be secure.
And may we continue, together, helping, empowering and transforming lives.
Thank you, and may God bless you all.