Social housing to benefit St James’ homeless
Published:Monday | June 13, 2022 | 12:08 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
AT LEAST 15 homeless persons living in Montego Bay, St James, will be provided with a home of their own under the Government’s New Social Housing Programme.
“The outreach programmes for persons living on the streets, for those who find themselves in challenging situations, we are going to be tackling the question of social housing in St James,” said Desmond McKenzie, minister of local government and rural development.
The minister was speaking last Friday during the second in a series of ‘Desmond McKenzie Wellness Day of Care for the Homeless’ interactive sessions, held at Jarrett Park Sports Complex, where scores of homeless persons were present.
“We have targeted to build this year in St James, working closely with the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, we have some 15 social housing targeted for St James in this financial year.”
HELP IN REHABILITATION
That assurance comes 23 years after more than 30 people living on the streets of Montego Bay, the western tourism city, where former workers of the then St James Parish Council, and police officers, rounded up street people, pepper-sprayed them, binding their hands with ropes, and placed them in the back of a truck before transporting them and leaving them St Elizabeth.
But the portfolio minister assured that the Government is working to make the lives of those living on the streets comfortable, and to help in their rehabilitation and assimilation into the society, as many of them have made contributions to Jamaica in the last 60 years.
“Some of you used to pay your taxes. Some of you worked for the government, but you fell on hard times, and it is our responsibility to ensure that we provide for you,” McKenzie said.
At the same time, McKenzie argued that he is from humble beginnings and was now happy to be giving back to those less fortunate across the country.
“I am very honoured to be here and to be sharing the occasion with you, because this is a signal moment for the people of western Jamaica, especially here in Montego Bay,” he said. “I feel a sense of pride knowing that I am able to do something, to put back something into making the lives of other persons a little bit more comfortable.”
He noted that since 2016, the Government has provided the necessary financial and moral support “to improve the lives of persons who are less fortunate, for those who are living on the streets, those who find it difficult on a daily basis”.
“What we have done since 2016 has been outstanding,” the McKenzie. “But I will be the first to admit that we still have a lot more to do because of the many problems that face persons who are considered living in circumstances that are questionable.”