Ministry teams up with BAEH to tackle homelessness

President and Founder of the Barbados Alliance to End Homelessness Kemar Saffrey is to work closely with Government in the coming months as the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs seeks to reduce and eliminate homelessness across the island.

Minister Kirk Humphrey disclosed that Saffrey will be a member of one of several committees to be established to carry out work relating to “the poor and homeless”.

Though not giving details on the planned committees, Humphrey said he recently met with Saffrey and he agreed to partner with Government in the fight against homelessness.

Humphrey was responding to a concern raised by Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw in Parliament recently as she pointed out that a lot more people were becoming destitute due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are actually seeing a lot more women and women with children entering the homeless shelters and not having the necessary support to be able to quickly address a number of the issues,” said Bradshaw.

Indicating that work has already begun to assess the properties that fall within the National Assistance Board (NAB) so that government could do more, Humphrey said he also met with Saffrey in an effort to learn more about his organisation and how they could partner.

“I know the Government currently offers some financial support to that association of about $250,000 a year, and that the work he is doing there is remarkable. The structure that he has in his institution I think we could also replicate across some of ours,” said Humphrey.

“I also feel we could lend support. It is not the duty of Government I think to do everything at all times, but we must be able to facilitate the delivery of that service. So if it is being offered and better than we are doing so then I think we should be able to work with the Alliance to be able to offer more, to be able to offer it wider across Barbados so they can reach more people,” he said.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when the island was affected by Hurricane Elsa, the BAEH, which usually accommodates up to 90 people, shifted its opening hours to accommodate many more.

While no official numbers have been released, Saffrey has reported an increase in the number of people seeking assistance at the shelter over the past two years, including tourists.

“I was speaking to Kemar in relation to the number of persons who are homeless and the gender bias, and he is telling me he is seeing an emerging trend now of more and more women on the street. In fact, we saw persons with children also on the street. So it is really something that we have to give much broader consideration to. If we don’t address it, it is only going to increase,” said Humphrey.

“When I met with Mr Saffrey, recognising the work that he has done, I had asked him to come in and partner with the ministry in terms of one of our committees as we plan out for the way forward in relation to our services to the poor and the homeless. I am happy to say that he has agreed. I am looking forward to having his counsel and his advice and to benefit from his experience, but I do believe this is one of the areas where we absolutely have to do better,” he said.

Humphrey said he was hoping that “over the next few years” as the island experienced economic growth and “a proper social planning policy” that homelessness would be rapidly reduced in Barbados.

At the same time, Humphrey stressed the need for work to be done to help prevent people from becoming homeless including through education and at the community level. He acknowledged there was a gap in providing homes for men.

“I take the point that we must do better. In the re-envisioned ministry there is going to be a lot more effort being placed in dealing with homeless. I think we have to work closer with our partners. We are going to need some support to be able to do so,” he said.

“This is not a zero-sum game. You don’t help one group at the expense of the other group. I think we have to help both,” he added. (MM)