Street count of PoS homeless in Sept

Referring to meetings held with a team from the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services, led by Minister Cherrie-Ann Crichlow-Cockburn, Valentine yesterday said that homelessness in the capital is “at a crisis state”.

“We would have identified that the Mental Health Unit of the Ministry of Health plays a critical role in this crisis.

Arising out of that meeting, we decided that mid-September we’re going to be engaging in a few night exercises (which will) focus on head count.

“We will try to ascertain the actual number of homeless persons on the city’s streets and from there we will be seeking to treat with implementation of the possible removal of these street dwellers. We will be engaging the Ministry of National Security.

I think HDC (Housing Development Corporation) has a part of play, rehab centres and other stakeholders,” Valentine stated.

The mayor added that he has set “Christmas 2016 as the deadline (by which) I would like to see some level of comfort for homeless persons.” Meanwhile, citywide clean-up operations are ongoing in Port-of-Spain as part of the corporation’s efforts to eradicate breeding sites of Zika- carrying mosquitoes.

Valentine said the clean-up drive began two weeks ago, on August 9.

“It’s a two-consecutive- cycles drive, which means it’s going to run for 20 consecutive days, during which there will be spraying, sanitising, cutting of trees and dealing with overgrown and abandoned lots throughout the city.” Valentine was speaking with the media yesterday, following the PoS Corporation’s monthly statutory meeting at City Hall.