Proper planning needed to feed the homeless

"I don’t think we are helping the homeless situation. Feeding them and sending them to sleep in the square is not helping," field officer and supervisor at the Centre for Socially Displaced Per-sons (CSDP) Roger Watson said in an interview at the centre, Nipdec car park, Port-of-Spain.

"Some of them take the food and sell it. It is too much to eat."

Watson noted that the sharing of food should be done in an "organised way," saying several people shared food on public holidays, and this encouraged wastage.

It also encouraged litter. He said those who share food should also provide garbage bags.

Watson said when food is in abundance, the homeless "pick and choose" and discard the rest.

"I am not saying don’t feed the poor, but we can put together a box of groceries and give it to single parents in our communities and then teach them to fish in the long run."

Watson said homeless people came from all over the country, including Icacos, Princes Town and San Fernando. He said they are leaving their communities and heading to town. "There are people in different communities who have not seen a proper plate of food."

Watson said not all the people on the street were actually homeless, and some collected the food and took it home.

A range of meals are provided by the Society of St Vincent de Paul for residents at the centre. He said non-governmental groups also schedule times to visit and provide meals. Watson said a programme is needed to avoid food being wasted.