Minister calls for national conversation to address homelessness

By Anesta Henry

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Kirk Humphrey has suggested that a comprehensive approach is urgently needed to tackle the increase in homelessness in Barbados.

He has expressed fears that some are being put out on the streets by family members who then expect Government to care for them.

Speaking at a meeting of the National Task Force on Homelessness at the Radisson Aquatica on Wednesday, the minister said the time has come for authorities to start having serious conversations about the real reasons people find themselves homeless or on the verge of being thrown into the streets by relatives.

“I fear, I really do fear, that unless we start having these conversations with families about taking care of their own, people are putting out people for the simplest things. And there used to be a time when Barbadians were able to work through their challenges and to come to their resolutions. 

“The easiest thing now is to put somebody out on the streets and then to suggest that the Government now has the responsibility to take care of the person that you have put out on the street. It can’t work. That is why we have to do a lot of comprehensive work to prevent that in the first place,” he said.

Humphrey further stated that the situation becomes even more egregious when an elderly person, who in their younger years worked hard to support their families, is  “the person that you are now seeking to throw out on the streets”.

“That is what we are seeing, especially as older people deal with the challenges associated with getting older and families find themselves unable to deal with it. We have to build systems to help families to do the jobs that families have traditionally done in this country so that we can end homelessness at the root,” he said.

Meanwhile, the minister said that the Lancaster, St James and Vauxhall, Christ Church senior citizen homes were undergoing significant repairs estimated to cost $3 million, in order to be able to offer better accommodation for the elderly population.

Giving the assurance that it was the Government’s intention to work with Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and state-owned agencies to  bring relief to those who find themselves homeless, Humphrey pointed out that the provision of housing is not the only solution to the issue.

“Many people come to me and they say ‘minister this person is on the streets and they need a house’. And we know that the reason that the person is on the street is not necessarily because they need a house in a lot of cases. Many people have problems associated with drug use; they have mental health issues, deep-rooted, psychological issues. 

“And a lot of this is manifesting itself even when we attempt to help clients. It becomes especially difficult for them to stay in the house sometimes when we try to offer that intervention. That is why I know that the only response to this has to be a holistic response,” he said.

The meeting hosted by the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs and the Barbados Alliance to End Homelessness (BAEH) was attended by representatives from key government agencies and NGOs.

During the two-hour proceedings, topics discussed included the amalgamation of social agencies and service providers, rehabilitation programmes, welfare assistance, care of the elderly, women and children, child care support services, housing, mental health and substance use disorders and domestic violence. 

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb