Families seeking space at homeless shelter in advance as evictions loom

The Barbados Alliance to End Homelessness (BAEH) is concerned about a growing number of persons being left homeless as job losses lead to eviction.

In fact, president and founder Kemar Saffrey disclosed that people have been making reservations at the BAEH’s homeless shelter in Spry Street, Bridgetown to ensure their families don’t end up on the streets.

He made the revelation as Barbados’ Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) David Comissiong toured the shelter and made a donation before appealing for citizens still enjoying a measure of economic prosperity to help those in need.

While staff have not started to quantify the increase in numbers due to the COVID-19 economic fallout, Saffrey explained that the shelter’s bed usage had significantly increased.

“What we found strange is that people are actually calling ahead and coming in to say they are going to be homeless in two weeks. The landlord has given them two more weeks and they are coming to find out if they can stay,” he reported.

“We are finding an increasing number of people coming upfront in that way and acknowledging that they are going to be homeless. But the numbers are between six to seven people a week. Initially, that was a monthly number, but now that is becoming a weekly number. So, we are taking them through the process and seeing what we can do to accommodate them.”

At full capacity, the facility that was officially opened at the beginning of this year is capable of housing 90 people, including babies and young children. But the pandemic has made life difficult, as the increasing numbers coincide with decreasing donations.

“One of the things that we are finding challenging now, is that people are calling for homeless persons that we have never heard about. Every day there is a new call about this person here or that person there, but as I said, staff is slim and we may not be able to reach everyone,” Saffrey explained.

“There are other organizations out there feeding and helping, but in terms of housing them and dealing with their everyday situation like housing, counselling, mentorship and getting them off the street, this is the only organisation. So, we feel the plight of every homeless person in Barbados.”

While describing the period as one of “deep economic dislocation”, Ambassador Comissiong said that even the Government’s revenue has been severely limited due to the collapse of the tourism industry.

As he delivered a cheque to BAEH, Comissiong declared that it was now incumbent on citizens who have the means to assist those less fortunate and, as much as possible, adopt a ‘prevention rather than cure’ approach to homelessness.

“In the past, many of us have taken the attitude that ‘I have paid my taxes and therefore nothing else is required of me’, but that can’t work any longer, because the revenue that is at the disposal of Government to do all of the necessary services is now significantly less. We now have to adopt a mindset where governance is not simply about the government. It must now be an all-of-society approach.

“So, wherever we can play a role to supplement or support the efforts of the Government, we must be prepared to do so, especially those of us who still have jobs and who still have sources of income,” the CARICOM Ambassador added.
(kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb)