Homeless hiring: World Cup cleanup offers jobs

As Barbados prepares for Sunday’s opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup, some 10 to 15 homeless people are set to benefit from a clean-up initiative in Bridgetown.

The project, a collaborative effort between local World Cup stakeholders and the Barbados Alliance to End Homelessness (BAEH), is set to begin on Saturday.

The head of the BAEH, Kemar Saffrey, revealed the plan during a multi-agency meeting held on Monday. The meeting aimed to address the various challenges faced by the homeless community and their broader impact on Barbados.

Saffrey said: “The homeless were offered an opportunity to work and assist in World Cup preparations. [The officials] came to us and said they want a World Cup clean-up group and that they want us to hire homeless people for this.”

The first place he visited with the offer was the old Treasury Building where several homeless individuals tend to frequent, he said, adding that the offer was met with positivity by the community.

Noting that a meeting was held last Friday with those in agreement, Saffrey revealed a key stipulation that was shared with them. “If you want a job, sleep in the shelter… because it doesn’t make sense to clean the streets just to go back on it and everybody agreed to this deal,” he said.

The BAEH president acknowledged that though there are pockets of homelessness in other areas of Bridgetown and across Barbados, the abandoned treasury building has become a blot on the landscape due to several reasons.

He also noted the constant donation of furniture to the building’s occupants by well-intentioned citizens.

“The Treasury [Building] has become an eyesore because kindhearted Barbadians will see the situation and the first thing they do is think that the way in which they can help is to bring mattresses, sofas or long chairs and give them,” he said.

The advocate urged members of the public to refrain from making these types of donations, sharing that this response is not the solution to the problem of homelessness.

“These mattresses become a breeding ground for rats and other rodents which then becomes a health hazard from the homeless and others in the area,” he said. “While we know Barbadians are kind-hearted, we always discourage them from giving these things.”

Saffrey expressed gratitude for the clean-up initiative and hopes that long-term benefits for the homeless community can be reaped from it.

He said: “If the World Cup brings opportunities where my clients can benefit, I’m happy and I hope by the time the World Cup is done that they can get long-term employment whether it be road cleaning or something like that so, there are things that are happening on their behalf.”