Near epidemic. This was how Port-of-Spain mayor Keron Valentine described the street dwelling population in the city before a Joint Select Committee (JSC) meeting in Parliament yesterday.
Chaired by Independent Senator Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir the committee sought to get to the root problem of the socially displaced and possible solutions for rehabilitation.
Permanent secretary of the Social Development Ministry, Jacinta Bailey-Sobers, said a recent count which was concluded on Tuesday showed there were 349 street dwellers throughout Trinidad.
No statistics were available for Tobago. But Valentine disputed that saying that in Port-of-Spain alone there were close to 400 homeless people. Questions then arose how was a count conducted.
Executive director of the Social Displacement Unit Loraine Reyes-Borel said that was done via a head count from around 10 pm and concluded in the early hours of the morning. She said in most cases homeless people had a mix of problems which therefore required a mix of services but may not be easily accessed.
She added many also did not have proper documentation and more social workers work were also needed.
It was also suggested that a proper data base be kept so as to track street dwellers. Valentine said the city, which had kept its own records, had encountered four categories of street dwellers: Drug addicts, mentally unstable, deportees and those living on the streets for one reason or the other.
While conducting its own exercises in rounding up street dwellers and hauling them before the courts, Valentine said that had come to a temporary end as human rights lawyers said the move was illegal. He added that the corporation removed all homeless people from Tamarind Square, Port-of-Spain, and fenced the area but the corporation was now being sued.
But Dhanayshar, who expressed surprise by thar, said the law was very clear when it came to living on the streets. Deputy Police Commissioner Deodat Dulalchan said the task of arresting street dwellers was difficult as they seemed to be going through a revolving door, where they ultimately ended up back on the streets again.
The committee also heard that despite the fact that street dwellers were sent to shelters there was nothing in law which mandated they remained at such facilities, hence again ending up back on the streets.
Donna Ferraz, permanent secretary in the Health Ministry, who addressed the issue of clinical care said some of the patients might not have come from the streets, adding that some may have come initially from medical facilities.
"Across the country we have 212 such cases at either hospitals or extended care facilities. Of note 78 of such cases reside at the St Ann's Hospital.
"The number of clients at hospitals is 59 and what that translates to is 59 less beds for persons who need medical care," Ferraz added.
Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Social Development, Jacinta Bailey-Sobers, said despite the implementation of several action plans and inter-ministerial committees, little progress had been made to root out the scourge of street dwelling.
"All this with limited success it would seem," Ferraz added. She said a 2004 survey conducted by the ministry showed there were 905 homeless people. In 2015 another survey showed there were 539 such people.
Challenges identified ranged from inadequate accommodation at shelters to staffing. sidebar Chief medical officer Clyde Tiluckdharry said the Mental Health Act needed to be re-examined so as to assist the homeless properly. He gave an example where a bus load of people were sent to St Ann's via the court but the facility was left scrambling to acquire space for them.
Member of Parliament Glenda Jennings-Smith, however, blasted the various officials, saying it was clear there was no collaboration among the various entities.
"It seems as though you all went last night and did a head count because you had to appear here. Where is the collaboration? Everyone is just passing the buck," Jennings-Smith charged.
Valentine said since 2010 recommendations have been made to have legislation change. He said the two largest population of street dwellers were drug addicts followed by the mentally unstable.
"The system has continuously failed us," Valentine added.
The committee heard in Port-of-Spain there were 152 male and five female street dwellers; San Juan 14 males; Tunapuna 10 males’ Arima 23 males’ Marabella 15; Princes Town two; San Fernando 61; Sangre Grande 11 males and Valencia 11 males.