MORE than 40 people stand to be displaced if the war of words between the manager of the Diamond Vale Community Centre, Garnet Moe, and the chairman of the Diego Martin Regional Corporation, Anthony Sammy, explodes.

These people were dislodged when their homes were ravaged by floodwaters almost two weeks ago, and, according to Moe, they are being threatened by Sammy, who is playing politics with their lives.

Speaking to the Express outside the centre last night, Moe said the chairman of the Corporation, Anthony Sammy, visited the centre five times yesterday, and on the last occasion was accompanied by police, threatening to close down the shelter.

"People here are already distressed, and you will come here with police, threatening to close down the shelter when they have nowhere to go?" he said.

According to Moe, when Sammy told the residents of his intention, they reacted vocally.

However, he said no one was violent towards Sammy or the police.

"They (Regional Corporation) never assisted with the running of here, and it running smoothly and efficiently because of me, and they have problem with that."

"All the Regional Corporation gave us on Saturday was seven cases of water and four boxes of bread, but apparently, people putting pressure on them because they are not competent, and this centre is running without any involvement with them... thanks to the kindness of public citizens who donate something every day," he said.

When contacted via telephone last night, Sammy refuted claims he threatened to close down the shelter, saying it was "absolutely untrue".

He added that Moe was a "trouble-maker", with "certain political issues", who constantly violated the disaster procedures put in place by the corporation.

"All he was supposed to do is open the shelter and close the shelter. He should not be managing it," he said.

Sammy also took issue with Moe's decision to continue holding functions at the venue since a disaster supersedes all activities previously scheduled.

"He should know this; he has been trained; he was in the military; he knows that a disaster takes precedence. He cannot be holding weddings there," he said.

As for the residents, they appeared to have no problem with the way things were being managed.

"Things are good here; Moe is doing a good job," said one woman who requested anonymity.