City Council needs to address social maladies

Jul 28, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
I wish to know what plans the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown has to address the profusion of homeless persons, social rejects and vagrants in our capital city.
Homelessness is a serious social problem that impacts the quality of life in our community. It seems however the elected officials and the administration of the Council failed to recognize that there is a fine line between homelessness as a social issue and a criminal issue. Many of the homeless in Georgetown are on the street because of substance abuse, mental illness or both.
While being homeless is not a crime, many kinds of public conduct are illegal and should be dealt with by the Council. These include being intoxicated, loitering, prowling, fighting, trespassing, aggressive begging, soliciting, urinating/defecating, consuming alcoholic beverages in certain public places, littering, obstructing sidewalks, disturbing the peace by loud and unreasonable noises, using offensive words, behaving in a threatening manner and more.
I know however the Council will find the easy way out by saying that this problem is bigger than them and point to the Ministry of Social Protection. I disagree with this thinking as they are responsible for managing the city.
Debra Gibson

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