At his weekly press briefing, he said that following the visit by President Bharrat Jagdeo, members of the Cabinet and officials of the regional administration to the scene of the tragedy on Monday and a meeting with the victims at the Parkway Hotel in New Amsterdam, the President offered possible interventions by the Government to assist the rebuilding of the destroyed businesses and the return to commercial activity in the shortest possible time.

Cabinet took a decision at its meeting Tuesday to provide income and company tax waivers and remissions to the eligible victims, and to give concessions on construction materials and other inputs needed in the rebuilding process, Luncheon reported.

To facilitate the expeditious implementation of the assistance package, he said Cabinet appointed a Ministry of Finance-led team, comprising Berbice business community leaders and Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) administrative functionaries to follow-up and to ensure that relief is provided with the minimum of delay.