The six-member committee appointed to assess what assistance should be given to the Cane Grove residents, who recently suffered great loss due to flooding caused by the breach in the East Demerara Conservancy Dam, has completed its work.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, Pulandar Kandhi made the announcement yesterday at a press briefing in the ministry's boardroom.

Kandhi was appointed by his minister, Harripersaud Nokta, to chair the six-member committee, which includes Bibi Boodhoo, the overseer at the Cane Grove Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC); Ophelia Williams, a housewife; Roop-narine Ramgopaul, a retired land development officer; Shelton Algoo, a land development officer and former minister of Amerindian Affairs, Vibert De Souza.

Kandhi, who described their work as "very hectic", said that their work involved house-to-house visits to no less than 700 households and out of this number they have determined that about 550 are eligible for some form of assistance.

He disclosed that the report has been completed and submitted to Nokta for his study and for him to report to cabinet.

The permanent secretary said that they had kept within the $15 million budget that was announced for the exercise.

According to Kandhi, they made it clear at the beginning that they would render some form of assistance rather than compensation since, according to him, compensation had certain legal implications.