The President of Georgia visited the areas damaged by the disaster

7/19/2012

 

The President of Georgia personally visited areas damaged by the disaster and leaned about the damage on site. Mikheil Saakashvili also met with the local population and listened to them as they spoke about the problems that have emerged as a result of the disaster. Mikheil Saakashvili promised the Kakheti population to compensate the damage and that the government will eliminate the damages in a timely fashion.

“The entire government is mobilized. Vano Merabishvili is the head of the task force. None of the damaged houses will stay unrepaired. Each house will be renovated better than it was so that a disaster will never damage them. It is important to compensate the population of these villages. We will start calculating the damage tomorrow morning. First and foremost, the flow of electricity, natural gas, and water should be restored. Before then we should supply the population with water. Tomorrow morning the calculating commission will start working and it will need 3-4 days to calculate the costs. A list should be created immediately so that we can move people to temporary shelters. We must repair and roof the houses” - noted Mikheil Saakashvili while talking with local population.

The Head of State also visited Tianeti because the disaster damaged this region greatly. The President learned about the results of the flood on site and spoke to the local residents.

“Tomorrow morning brigades will arrive to repair houses. Aside from this, everyone whose plants were destroyed must be compensated.  We are now starting to repair an 8 kilometer portion of  road, and there will be good roads in Tianeti everywhere” – he stated. Mikheil Saakashvili arrived in the village of Vachnadziani where a large part of the population is left with no houses. The Head of State also met the population there, and noted that the restoration works will continue intensively.

“Everyone who has lost vineyards will receive compensation. We are expecting a good harvest this year, but the government will take care of everything” – noted the President.

The harmed population will be separated into first, second, and third groups. All three categories will receive grocery assistance including flour, oil, and sugar. Aside from this, each family will receive financial compensation depending on their group. The government of Georgia is also discussing ways to restructure the agricultural loan process taking care of technical, financial and other issues in this regard.