THE Brian Lara Promenade, like several other public spaces in the nation's capital, has been transformed with colourful decorations and bright lights to mark the festive Yuletide Season.
But in sharp contrast to this, on Sunday, was a line of homeless people sitting or lying down on the pavement opposite the promenade outside a commercial bank.
Elsewhere in Port of Spain, the homeless were out and about including at the National Library (Nalis), along the pavements off Frederick Street, Charlotte Street and other streets.
Several people called Newsday's Pembroke Street newsroom to point out that amid the bright and colourful decorations, the homeless – some wearing rags and others mumbling incoherently – were out and about. The callers asked if anything can be done about the homeless. Newsday sought to find out.
MAYOR: THEY HAVE
TO MOVE ALONG
Contacted for a comment, mayor Joel Martinez said that everything possible has been done and is being done to provide some kind of safe and decent accommodation for these people so that they won't have to resort to living on the pavement or in parks and other such spaces.
However, in order to deal with the “unsightliness” of socially-displaced people lining the streets, he has reached out to the Municipal Police to enforce the “move along” policy.
In simple terms, the “move along” policy is part of the Municipal Police’s anti-crime plan for Port of Spain, which gives the police the right to order homeless people on the streets to go to a shelter or find another place to sleep.
[caption id="attachment_930446" align="alignnone" width="1024"] HOME ON THE PAVEMENT: Homeless people line a pavement outside a bank on Sunday on Independence Square not far from bright and colourful Christmas decorations on the Brian Lara Promenade. PHOTO BY AYANNA KINSALE -[/caption]
“I saw pictures of the people on the streets and I forwarded it to our superintendent of police. Part of their anti-crime programme is that they would address the move along policy at Independence Square and other areas where they (the homeless) are located.
"What I am seeing is a proliferation of homeless people coming out in larger numbers and making the place look unsightly," Martinez said.
“I understand the plight of the homeless, but they can’t be in the middle of Port of Spain lying down on the pavement,” he added. “It is an eyesore and it presents a very bad image for our city.”
Martinez said it was a difficult thing to balance the needs of the people of the city and those of the homeless.
“The citizens of Port of Spain also use the pavements. The Mayor’s office is trying to be as humane as possible in dealing with this and we are working with the Ministry of Social Development and the Homeless Assistance Office to ensure that we find the best solution for all involved," he said.
The homeless are usually seen all day on Saturday and Sunday or on public holidays when businesses tend to be c
