News has spread rapidly among homeless people in San Fernando that a much anticipated soup kitchen promised by former mayor Kazim Hosein will open soon.
Some of them went to the Red Cross Society to ask for decent clothes so they could visit City Hall to get more information on when the project will come fully on stream. One of them, former offshore worker Evans Brereton, who has been living on the streets since 2014, said he is desperately hoping the centre will open soon so he can have a place to shower, eat and brush his teeth.
Brereton said he showers at the San Fernando General Hospital every day but wants his life back.
“My daughter is a nurse at the hospital and she doesn’t want me on the streets but I have a restraining order preventing me from stepping foot in my own house which I worked hard and paid for. If they set up a shelter for us it would make things much easier,” he said.
Basdeo Thackoor, 54, formerly of La Romaine, said after his wife, Sandra Bachoo, died two years ago, he lost everything he ever owned.
“I was put out of the house and I lost my car. Now I am living on the streets and sometimes I have no hope for a better life. Since January we waiting for them to open the soup kitchen for us so we can get decent meals and a place to use the toilet. If we get this facility it will restore our dignity,” he said.
The former truck driver said he is hoping someone will give him a job.
“Since I got laid off, I have no money and I have no place to go. At least people drop food for us every day but being here is dangerous because the police could throw us in jail for loitering,” Thackoor said.
Amardeo Baijoo, who has been on the streets for 17 years, said he was arrested last year and when he appeared in court for loitering was fined $200.
“I could not pay and I spent seven days in jail until a police woman felt sorry for me after reading the story and paid the fine for me to come out. I am still on the streets because I have no choice,” he said.
The homeless people said they are happy to hear business owners in San Fernando want to work to improve their plight.
“I want to thank the former mayor Kazim for helping us and I hope he could get this committee to do what is right and open this place for us full time,” Baijoo saod.
Hosein said he is giving a mandate to the committee chaired by Terrence Beepath to open the centre as soon as possible. He said it was regrettable that after $2.2 million was raised to set up the centre, homeless people still have not benefited.
“We have to be more humane. A lot of people called me and they are willing to contribute towards it so I really want to make this happen as soon as possible,” Hosein said.
San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello said he is willing to meet with a homeless delegation at 9 am on Wednesday to discuss their concerns.
