Dear?Christine,
I am very disappointed and concerned that people can be so unkind to each other.
Christine, there is a young gentleman who is a bit “simple” living in the St James area. This gentleman has relatives but people don’t seem to realize it, or pretend not to know.
He has been given a house by the Urban Development Commission or Rural Development Commission – I’m not sure which one – after his family’s house was not suitable to live in.
Since then a couple has moved into the house with him. Now sometimes this guy cannot get into his own place.
Christine, please print this information because this gentleman also gets a welfare grant and I don’t know if he even sees it or the money, because he is constantly asking people for things to eat and clothes to wear.
This is a really sad situation. I think the people in that house should move out and let the young man be comfortable in the house given to him.
– CONCERNED?CITIZEN
Dear Concerned Citizen,
You have raised a serious issue which we will pass on to the Welfare Department for them to investigate. It is unconscionable for anyone to take advantage of another human being like this.
What hurts me so much is that we are quietly hearing about similar cases. That suggests to me that people may be targeting these individuals to take advantage of them. I certainly hope I am wrong about this, but I fear for the worse.
Unfortunately during tough times like what we are going through, the worse element of peoples’ characters often comes out. Part of that often involves exploiting situations and persons less fortunate for personal gain.
We know already that some people keep their elderly relatives like prisoners in their homes just so that they can get their pension cheques. If family could do that to their own, so much more can be done to others.
As I said, I hope that I am off-base here, but I suspect I am not.
Thank you for your letter. I will be contacting the Welfare Department so they can investigate and intervene on this young man’s behalf.
– Christine
