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Home at Burnham Court Pavilion
Imagine living 17 years on the streets. Not mentally ill, or a drug addict… as healthy as an ox, but finding yourself back on the street every time you think you’ve found yourself a home. This is the case with a least one of several men who have taken up residence under the Burnham Basketball Court pavilion on Carmichael Street.
Robby Gittens contemplates his next move everyday.
For forty-one-year old Dave Fredricks, and many of the others who sleep and dwell under the pavilion, it’s not strange for them to head to work daily and return to the pavilion at nights. Fredricks explained that a few times he was able to find a temporary home, but then, “I was right back where I started from.”
“I never smoke or drink or nothing, I does just find myself back on the road.” When asked how he ended up in such a position he said, “When ya small and you want ya own way; ya young and ya want see de street life.”
Fredricks is hoping that in two weeks he can be off the streets permanently. He said he has a common-law wife and they will likely be moving in together.
However, hope is not so high for the other occupants of the Burnham Court pavilion. Unlike Fredricks, the majority of the others were deported from either the United States or Canada. Robby Gittens said he has been living at the pavilion for the last two weeks, but has been homeless for months.
He told this publication that he was deported from Canada in April of last year and had been living with his brother, who is also a deportee. The man said that a family friend gave them a place to stay but when the woman passed away the person who took over no longer wanted the brothers in the property.
Gittens said he was then evicted with absolutely nowhere to go. He sought refuge in Guyana’s interior hoping to make it in the mining industry. “That didn’t work out. I went to Bartica, Mahdia, but nothing. Now I’m back and bouncing here and there until I can get myself on my feet.”
Gittens said he used to stay at a shelter, but, “it terrible there. I’m surprised I actually came outta there without an ailment. It’s not a good place to be. They got old people, sick people and people that’s on dying, the atmosphere is depressing, its better here (pavilion).” He says he has no identification card or birth certificate. He hopes to get both by month end.
Meanwhile, Aubrey Donald said he was deported in 2003 and has been on the streets on and off since. He too was deported from Canada and is yet to get his feet off the ground.
Both men lamented that their families lived overseas and there was no one residing in Guyana that could help them. Their biggest issue however is that they are finding difficulty getting important documents which would enable them to gain meaningful employment.
They claimed also that there is no known system where they can receive assistance from the State.
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