Socially displaced persons in the city growing

Minister Anthony Roberts has acknowledged that the number of socially displaced persons was growing, but he assured that in his ministerial capacity he would see that the problem is addressed.

"Discussions will soon be held with the stakeholders, and in the interim, appropriate accommodation for the socially displaced, with the relevant staffing, treatment and rehabilitation programme are being organised," said Roberts.

The minister made the disclosure when he gave the feature address on Sunday night at a civic reception in commemoration of the 91st anniversary of the Restoration of Civic and Municipal Rights to the City of Port-of-Spain.

He made it clear that Government was fully committed to tackling the social ills of the country, but not by adopting an ad hoc approach.

"Instead, we will confront the challenges in a way that is systematic, structured, and in a way that will yield the desired results overtime,"

Roberts said the Government had made significant investments, and would continue to make investments in the social sectors as it collaborates with NGOs to develop and empower people, through a myriad of social interventions which would eventually impact on the crime situation in Trinidad and Tobago.

In another area, Roberts said the issue of vending on the streets and pavements of the city in the way it is being done, cannot and must not be condoned. "There has to be a policy for vending which must set out how, when and where it can be accommodated."

According to Roberts, indiscriminate vending had a negative impact on the sanitation of the city which was not in sync with the aspirations of a modern city.

Meanwhile, Mayor Murchison Brown also had something to say about illegal vending.

He explained that in the last year, 645 persons were charged by the police for contravening the law.