Regional Corporations across T&T are set to strengthen their disaster response capabilities following a donation of nearly TT$1.5 million worth of disaster relief equipment.
The equipment was handed over by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government on Wednesday.
Minister Khadijah Ameen said the partnership with the Church began in 2018, when relief efforts were carried out in her St Augustine constituency.
She described the latest donation as a major investment in national disaster preparedness and resilience.
“These items represent more than just equipment. They represent preparedness, not reaction, resilience, even when we are vulnerable, and partnership even where we might have isolation in case of a disaster. It strengthens our national management framework by giving our Municipal Corporation’s Disaster Management Units the tools they need so they can respond swiftly, they can coordinate effectively, and they can serve communities with greater confidence and efficiency.”
Elder Don Jones of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said the donation reflects the Church’s commitment to helping communities.
“We believe in being self-reliant and being prepared, and we have put a lot of effort into trying to help others to do that. That’s the only way we can follow the teachings that Christ has is if we are prepared to do that.”
The donated equipment includes eight rescue boats, over 50,000 sandbags, 600 mattresses, 21 pressure washers, 19 portable generators, 16 dewatering pumps, 624 tarpaulins, 14 chainsaws and 20 ring burners.
Minister Ameen said strict accountability measures are in place to ensure the donated equipment is properly managed and used only during emergencies.
“What I have sought to do is establish in every region where they will have their own stockpile. So in anticipation of this equipment coming in and this donation, we practically emptied our warehouse some months ago, where all the equipment we had here was assigned to Corporations. They must properly account for it, so you cannot randomly give away mattresses or tarpaulins because somebody wants one. They must be properly used in a time of disaster, and you must account for every piece of equipment. So they each have their own stockpile at present.”
She added that the Ministry has begun a programme to establish disaster relief warehouses in every region to ensure equipment can reach communities efficiently when needed.