The capacity of the Night Shelter at East La Penitence, Georgetown, has been increased following a recent $5 million upgrade of the facility, which included the construction of a new wing.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud recommissioned the refurbished Night Shelter at a simple ceremony yesterday morning.
“Since becoming the Minister, I came here very early and this is one of the institutions that I was very passionate about ensuring that the conditions are improved, that the environment is conducive to you living comfortably. So you would have seen the interior being upgraded within the night shelter, you would have seen your beds being improved and there is more to happen in that direction and of course new mattresses, pillows, sheets and overall the exterior of the Night Shelter being upgraded,” Persaud told the residents during a brief interaction.
The works done at the facility included repainting, tiling, installation of new windows and beds and upgrades to the washroom facilities.
And with the addition of the new wing, the Night Shelter now has the capacity to occupy a total of 120 persons. At present, 45 men and women live there.
There are separate dormitories for males and females as well as 24-hours supervision at the facility.
During her address at the recommissioning, Persaud said the Night Shelter aims to address the issue of homelessness by providing a home to those in need at no cost. “It bothers me deeply when I see people are out on the street and I want to ensure that there is some place where people can call home even if it is temporary so that you have shelter, you have meals and you have every bit of care that you need,” she said.
The new wing, Persaud said, will increase capacity of the shelter and will also be used to screen newcomers to ensure that they are in good health and are able to receive any treatment they may require before being integrated with the others.
She further stated that residents will also soon be able to access training through the Board of Industrial Training and the Women Innovation and Investment Network. “We are going to be looking at training programmes that are suitable for all persons living here. If you would like to learn something, you would like to do something, you would like to be able to work, whatever it is you would want to do going forward, you are afforded that opportunity,” Persaud said.
Plans are also in the pipeline to further upgrade the facility by establishing a kitchen and shade house.
Halfway house
Administrator of the Night Shelter Sheila Veerasammy said the facility is being used to reintegrate persons into society.
“….We are now treating the Night Shelter as an interim place. So they come in, we provide them with the necessary support and we help them to locate housing so that they can go back either independently into housing, where they have to pay for it of course, through helping them with jobs or we help them to reintegrate with families,” Veerasammy explained.
Among those currently housed at the Night Shelter, Veerasammy said, are residents whose families have disowned them because of behavioural or mental problems or addiction.
Apart from providing temporary housing, Veerasammy said that the Night Shelter also res-ponds to homelessness and incidents of violence.
One of the resident, David Jones, 58, yesterday shared his story with reporters. Jones said he has been residing at the shelter for seven years.
Prior to taking up residence there, he said, he lived on the streets. At the age of 25, Jones said he started to use drugs and became addicted. “Really and truly I started it. So I told myself anything I start, I can finish,” he said.
He explained that while living on the streets, he lost everything he owned. “When I used to smoke, I lost all my documents and since I am here, I get back all my documents. I get my ID card, I get my birth certificate and I lately applied for my public assistance,” Jones told reporters.
Jones said he has since been able to overcome the addiction. “I told myself the same way how I introduce myself I can stop and I stopped and I am so glad…I feel like here is the best place for me….to get myself back together and be a normal person from all the bad things I use to do,” he shared.
