Sando mayor: Feed homeless at shelters

Regrello observed yesterday that none of 12 homeless people he met to discuss the status of a shelter were from the southern city but from such areas as Princes Town, Chaguanas, Point Fortin and Tunapuna.

They had moved to San Fernando because they were being fed, he said.

“San Fernando is a resourceful place and then you have many successful businesspersons and citizens who usually feed them on the street. And I keep saying to the public, stop the feeding because you are encouraging homeless persons to come here,” he said. The mayor said even families gathered for free food.

“There are families who have homes elsewhere and leave their homes and assemble on the (Harris) Promenade on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday for free food. People pull up in their high-end vehicle or SUV and open their trunk and distribute food as a means of charity, which is not a bad gesture but if you have food to distribute, give it to the centre, give it to the Court Shamrock and the homeless shelter and let them distribute,” he advised.

“It would then allow the people to go there for the food and then they can sit in a decent environment, around a table and have a meal as opposed to sitting on the street,” Regrello said, adding, “cars passing there, there are fumes in the air, there is carbon dioxide in the air and you eating at the side of the street is not healthy.” Regarding his meeting with the homeless, Regrello said they raised concerns about the shelter under construction at the old Revival Time Assembly building at Kings Wharf given the start of the rainy season. He said the facility was not designed as an overnight shelter but as one where the homeless would receive three meals and have use of the toilets and bathrooms.

Regrello also promised to raise the group’s concerns about security at Court Shamrock Centre for the Socially Displaced on Rushworth Street, saying the corporation was also willing to assist the centre.