Evictions are also contributing to the rising level of homelessness, which often goes under the radar, says president of the Barbados Alliance to End Homelessness (BAEH) Kemar Saffrey.
“I think it’s time we look at evictions, at how we evict people, because there are some landlords and family members who are evicting people in the middle of the night,” he said.
Saffrey was speaking during a National Homeless Consultation On Homelessness In Bridgetown And Surrounding Communities on Thursday at the Radisson Aquatica Resort, Aquatic Gap, St Michael.
“I’m getting one o’clock, two o’clock calls about persons evicting families.
And here’s the problem: they’re evicting people with children. Women with children are on the street at two o’clock in the morning, running to the police station, and the police are bringing them to us, because there’s literally no other shelter in Barbados besides us, other than the domestic abuse shelter.
“There’s no shelter for women outside of the BAEH that can take you if you’re not domestically abused. So, again, we have this issue that persons are coming, and you’re not seeing those persons, because they’re coming directly to the shelter,” he said.
Saffrey said those without a place to go gravitated towards towns, but they had to find solutions that would protect public spaces while maintaining the dignity of the homeless.
“We understand the growing concern coming from the business community, Government and other members of the public regarding the continued use of public spaces. This issue goes beyond someone simply sleeping in a public space. We are seeing concerns evolving, such as sleeping and remaining in public spaces for a steady period of time, defecating and urinating in public spaces, clothing and personal belongings being left in public spaces, drinking and smoking, substance abuse, behaviours that can create discomfort or concern for the members of the public, and persons congregating in areas heavily used by residents, visitors and businesses.
“We must also recognise that many of these spaces are not ordinary spaces.
They are part of the national heritage and national identity. We are talking about spaces such as Independence Square, Heroes Square, Golden Square, historic areas within Bridgetown, and other important public and heritage spaces. These spaces belong to all of us, and we have a responsibility to protect them while also protecting the dignity and rights of the people who are experiencing homelessness,” he said.
The president said they had to debunk the myth that the issue was a BAEH problem alone. He said some people outright refused to go into the shelter, while others were unqualified to be housed due to substance abuse or not taking required mental health medications. As such, Saffrey also urged other organisations to work more closely with them.
He said some believed their subvention of $500 000 a year meant they could solve everything, but this was a fallacy.
“There are organisations that receive way more than us and do little. But at the end of the day, we are fixing a national issue and not a communitybased issue.” (CA)