Night shelter for the destitute opened
by Shirley Thomas
THE Ministry of Human Services and Social Security yesterday officially declared open a 150-bed night shelter for the destitute in the capital city. Officials said the ultimate aim is to remove all destitute persons off the streets of Georgetown.
There is now hope for most of those living on the streets and with no place they can call home and all systems are in place for the first set of persons to take up occupancy by January 8.
The facility - a massive concrete structure aback the East La Penitence Police Station and formerly a bond owned by the Ministry of Works and Communications, was provided at a cost of G$15M.
The expenditure includes refurbishing and furnishing the building, and the provision of a mini-bus to cater for the transportation needs of the institution.
The shelter is intended to provide a place where the destitute can sleep, have hot meals, develop the dart of grooming and personal hygiene and receive counselling, according to officials.
The cutting of the traditional ribbon was performed by President Bharrat Jagdeo and witnessed by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Ms Indra Chandarpal; Permanent Secretary, Mr Roopnarine Khadoo; other senior officials of the ministry and other invited guests.
Mr Jagdeo said he was extremely pleased to be at the opening of the shelter and referred to it as one of the aspirations of his government aimed at eventually taking all destitute persons off the streets.
"If there is anything that I want my government to be remembered by, it would be on how well we have taken care of our less fortunate in society," the President said.
He said that as a country with limited resources, Guyanese would never be able to solve all their problems. But he was proud that his government has been able to address some of these problems in a manageable way, compared to some other countries.
In addition to the $15M expenditure, President Jagdeo said a further $26M subvention had been approved for running the shelter, which he hopes will be increased to ensure that "every single destitute person will eventually come off the streets."
Noting that there are about 450 persons dwelling on the streets of Georgetown (including families), President Jagdeo said this signals that "somewhere, someone has not lived up to his responsibility."
Initially, he said, the night shelter will provide accommodation for about 150 persons. But this will be just the first step towards their eventual rehabilitation.
"The first step is to get them off the street, but the next thing will be to get them into homes where they can experience love and care," he said.
The President explained that this outpouring of compassion is not restricted to street children, but to those in orphanages as well.
Repeating his sentiments at the recent Main Big Lime, Mr Jagdeo said he is hoping that some day Guyana will be able to totally eradicate orphanages from this country, with the hope that every child would be able to find a foster home.
Noting that his government will be always open to work with civil society in this regard, he said: "We see this as a joint venture - a cooperation."
Other plans mentioned for improving people's welfare were a shelter for children and empowering women across the country.
While contending that it is not just the material things that are important in life, putting things in the right perspective, he assured that the government will continue to do everything possible to improve the material wellbeing of the people.
He cited the provision of more jobs, a better quality of education, more housing, better health care, water and services essential to healthful daily living.
He said that his government is also working in partnership with the churches - Christian and non-Christian - and the rest of civil society, to restore compassion and care for each other.
He cautioned that societies today should not be judged based on material wealth, but also on how they take care of the elderly and children.
"As a nation, we owe it to all our people to make sure that when people get old, they are taken care of."
And stressing the need for heads of households to take more responsibility for their families, President Jagdeo lamented that today there are too many single parent families.
He noted that too often it is the women who carry the burden of these families.
And slamming men who recklessly spill the seed, President Jagdeo repeated the timely advice he had earlier given to a Youth Convention of Seventh Day Adventists at the President's College:
"It is not macho to have five, six children with five different persons."
"It is stupid," he emphasised, "It is not macho. And if we have to prove ourselves by how many children we have out there with different people, then something is wrong with us."
"We need to take more responsibility, be committed and so restore strong families, " he reiterated.
And alluding to the problem of hopelessness and street children, President Jagdeo enlisted the media to become involved in the campaign of getting persons to "understand the problem and cooperate, because it is our problem...It's a Guyanese problem."
He shared the view of Minister Chandarpal that initially there may be difficulties getting persons to leave the streets to occupy the beds at the shelter.
"However," he said, "we have to encourage them, and the best way to get them to come here is to get them to understand that they are cared for."
The President concluded: "all of us must be a caring people; too many of our brothers need a little care."
Mrs Chandarpal described the occasion as a "red letter day" for the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.
For her, it was "a dream come true" after more than three years of effort, including difficulties.
According to her, the night shelter, the initiative of her ministry, is intended to provide a safe place for people who live on the streets, eating out of garbage bins, with no place to go.
She said the ministry had already set up contact with the Social Workers Association and other such organisations which will collaborate with the ministry in an effort to encourage the people on the streets to occupy the shelter.
Recognising that there will be some claustrophobic who will resent moving into the shelter, she pointed to a special shed built on the premises where such persons will be allowed to sleep on benches if they so desire, until rehabilitated.
The shelter, ideally located behind the East La Penitence Police Station, can look to the cooperation of the police to reinforce security.
 Follow the goings-on in Guyana
|