We help the homeless, MOH permanent secretary
An individual hanging around a supermarket. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Though the numbers are relatively low compared to other countries, helping the homeless in the Virgin Islands is taken very seriously by the Health Ministry, disclosed Petrona Davies, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry.
“It’s always a concern to us, if there is one homeless person we try to get him or her the assistance necessary through the Social Development Department, Mental Health, Public Assistance Committee or the Sandy Lane Centre,” Ms. Davies told VINO in an invited comment.
Several homeless persons are seen on the streets, lurking around supermarkets begging for money and in one instance an individual reported seeing an unkempt male lying on the step of Main Street business one evening.
“I am not saying that we have a whole lot of them, but it is scary to see someone just lying there. It’s really unfortunate,” the individual said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Something that Ms. Davies agrees with. She explained that while the social problem is not on a large scale “the reality is it could be that the relatives don’t want to keep them, he or she has a mental illness or it is substance abuse.”
However, she reiterated that several departments that fall under the Ministry that was mentioned earlier up in the article intervene when necessary.
According to her if it is substance abuse the Sandy Lane Centre has a transitional programme whereby patients are allowed to live there and be treated until they get better and can fend for themselves.
In addition to that, if an individual has land the Ministry provides support in building a home, Mrs. Davies added.
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her brother should not only bring in bigshots to talk at scrub island…..he should bring in someone to council her too
Is that “Yellow” in that pic? same thing me ah say. her brother up and down showing off & he sister waking the streets, stealing beers from Bobbies, Riteway and with her shirt up showing she self to tourist and smelling up the place.
He should be shame of this and try and help he own family……
Lawd ah mussa ease off brother Russell he tried he best to help she bout she aint tekin no help!!!!
russell should be ashamed of this situation with his sister. He has no credibility as if this is how he takes care of his own family. Let us see if he will put this one in the Beacon or Business BVI!!!!! hahahahaha
IS HE THE ONLY ONE WITH A CRAZY FAMILY MEMEBER ON THE STREETS? YOU ALL NEED TO STOP!!!!
This is an interesting article as I was just thinking the same thing last week with the increase in people on the streets begging for money.
I went last night to the bakery in east end and lawd have mussy the homeless problems have increase and you even can’t hold your breath. Where are the families? I do not see the help the Health and Welfare is taking about.
If you ask me the problem is getting worse both in Town and East End.
Most of these people have mental and substance abuse challenges. It is too simple to say they are just homeless. We need to pay some serious attention to this. Dancia Penn should notice the increase every time she drives through East End with her head up…..
Dancia who? Malone to the rescuse
NOT THAT LITTLE PUNK…NOT SO FAST WE DO NOT WANT DANCIA BUT WORKING ON SOMEONE ELSE
Not because somebody beg you mean they homeless.
Russell help yellow too much times so you all keep off he. Why you all doent jump on Sugar. Thas her sister too!
Yellow just nasty, lazy and stubborn. When you got those two words in any description of you, you doomed unless YOU want to change!
Yellow makes more money than a messenger from begging so why stop?
They not getting a red penny from me them too willfull
Please stop being so arrogant. You never know when you could end up like that either because of no job, or a substance abuse or someone of these wicked obeah people turn you crazy.
So never say never!!!!!!!! You may need a penny one day….as for Harigan and he sister Yellow that’s another story.
COME ON WE HAVE TIME TO HEAR THE STORY
look de-man Resell help dey sister now & again he give her money but dat not all she needs. Yellow needs some professional help. She needs to be sent away. When he give her money she tek it to buy beers and rum.
Goodness gracious and her smell…Lord send help!!!!
I do not mind giving them money but I cannot take the smell….
So why Russel dem don’t send her away to get help?
the growth in the homelessness and the mentally weak people is in deed an issue. I notice the same thing happening on Virgin Gorda. Let me see if all the parties, VIP, NDP, UP, POP and the other one they cannot get off the ground will address this matter.
The only sensible blog so far. The rest seems to me to be personal attacks.
U SAY….
Mr. big head Russell only mission is to get the NDP back in power. You think he got time with YELLOW walking the streets smelling up the place….wheel and come again please.