Oh! What a night for the homeless man seen sleeping in a drain in Port-of-Spain. The situation is totally out of control and has reached the critical stage of epidemic outbreak in the city.
It is unfortunate that when speaking to some politicians about the homeless population, seeing guys bathing naked using the fire hydrant as a shower, most recently sleeping in drains, sleeping in filth and urine, their reply is that they don’t read the newspapers. Most politicians are chauffeur-driven through the city so they do not have to side step the homeless who occupy the streets.
The photo of a homeless man sleeping in a drain (T&T Guardian, June 7) is just one of the many that we don’t see. For politicians making excuses about not reading newspapers and not being aware of the problems with the homeless population is tantamount to gross neglect and discrimination.
A government is elected to serve and that they must do, but not just one section of people. They must serve all the people and the homeless are people too and so they must be served.
In the case of the homeless the government continues to apply the same old methods used by former governments of not addressing this social issue.
I will continue to address this problem and organise a homeless march through the city of Port-of-Spain. I will approach the acting commissioner of police with a planned route for permission to march through the city. When permission is granted the date will be made public. All citizens will be invited to come out and support this march. All religious organisations are welcome, including trade unions and all other influential groups that understand the cause to save our city from being overrun by the homeless.
The march will be most peaceful and orderly.
Selwyn Byer