Night Shelter to undergo major infrastructural upgrades

Nov 09, 2020 News

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Kaieteur News – The Night Shelter— a non-profit facility operated under the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security is home to nearly 200 destitute people. On any given day, the shelter offers meals and other basic amenities to the homeless people.

However, like most places, the facility is facing challenges to protect its staff and residents from the spread of the deadly coronavirus disease, COVID-19.
Several of those issues were raised during an on-site assessment of the shelter by Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Vindhya Persaud.
During her visit, Dr. Persaud addressed the need for ensuring the facility has more amenities such as beds, mattresses, pillows, sheets, and healthy meals.
“Coming from a medical background, I know the elderly have different health issues. As such, their needs will be different, depending on if they are hypertensive, diabetic or they have any other chronic disease conditions,” the Minister noted.
Dr. Persaud also spoke of the need for major improvement to the kitchen area, sleeping quarters, sanitary block, and the recreational hall of the night shelter.
“The facility needs to be upgraded along with more staff being brought onboard. The residents, as well as, the [current] staff, have expressed a number of concerns, such as, having access to medication and medical care in the facility because we are now operating under a new normal, which is the COVID pandemic,” she stated.
The Minister disclosed too that there are also plans to upgrade and add new washroom facilities that will also cater to persons who are living with disabilities.
“The whole environment should give them a feeling of appreciation, that there is care and concern. I will ensure that there are enough facilities available for differently-abled people … So, I am looking at the entire place with a very practical and holistic approach and making the necessary changes sooner rather than later,” the Minister said.
Also, on her list of upgrades to the facility are more programmes and activities such as, board games, reading material and television to provide more recreational options for the residents.
A suggestion box will also be installed so they can offer their ideas to make the atmosphere of the shelter more uplifting. During her interaction with some of the residents, the matter of having access to public assistance was raised with the Minister.
However, she explained that “The legislation, as it stands now, does not allow for those who are in Government institutions to benefit from that. But looking at the matter outside of that and in terms of the population, the idea is to increase all of these benefits across the board.”
The Human Services Minister indicated that there are measures that can be implemented right away such as “ensuring that VAT is removed off utilities, along with other avenues, that cover the elderly population.

“If they have arthritis, they will also have other areas catered to such as, the provision of supplements, walking aids or given special concessions,” the Minister explained.
Minister Persaud also visited the family enhancement services department which falls under the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.
There, she spoke of the mental health and physical wellbeing programme that will be added to the roster of services it provides at the Night Shelter.
The initiative is a collaboration between her Ministry and the Ministry of Health.
Overall, the Minister said, the goal is to reintegrate indigent persons back into society. In keeping with this objective, the services at the shelter will be strengthened to provide broad-based care to help persons in difficult circumstances transition back into society.
Minister Persaud said that she is committed to the restructuring and reorganizing of the Ministry in dealing with these issues.
Under the initiative, Dr. Persaud said that the Ministry will be utilizing existing structures such as the Hugo Chavez Center, the Palms and the Night Shelter to name a few.
The Night shelter, to change the way it operates, will embrace an open-door policy to people who need a specific service, to either be deflected to somewhere else or to deal with their issues in house.
She noted too that she will be working on having more persons accommodated.
“It was expressed that they will receive better care and persons will be equipped with the necessary skills if they are able to work. She spoke about mental health issues and overall care for the elderly. Persons dealing with drugs and substance abuse will be directed to the Hugo Chavez Center to work with them specifically,” Dr. Persaud said.

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