February 6, 2017: In a very fruitful and candid discussion, a number of key challenges and proposed solutions were highlighted during a meeting held with the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services and representatives of the business community to discuss the issue of street dwelling in Trinidad and Tobago. The meeting took place on Monday 30, January, 2017, at the Ministry’s Head Office, Port of Spain. The meeting came on the heels of the Ministry’s recent High-level Stakeholders’ Meeting on Street Dwelling on Thursday January 19, 2017, in which the Minister of Social Development and Family Services, the Honourable Cherrie-Ann Crichlow-Cockburn met with the Ministers of National Security, Major General(Retired), Edmund Dillon, Rural Development and Local Government, The Honourable Kazim Hosein, and Health, The Honourable Terrence Deyalsingh, to initiate talks on finding a solution towards the street dwelling issue.
The meeting was chaired by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services, Mrs Jacinta Bailey-Sobers, and was attended by the Mayor of Port of Spain, His Worship, Joel Martinez and other key personnel from the Port of Spain Corporation, the President of the Down Town Owners and Merchants Association, Mr Gregory Aboud, President of San Juan Business Association, Mr Vivek Charran, Mr David Edwards, Immediate Past president of the Greater Tunapuna Chamber and Business Development Manager of the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association Mr Marc Sandy.
The meeting underscored the need for a combined, but consistent approach to the issue of street dwelling. PS Bailey Sobers emphasised the important role of the business community in providing tangible and moral support for the national efforts toward a sustainable solution to the problem. DOMA President, Gregory Aboud cautioned that any plan to effectively deal with the issue of street dwelling should include an approach which will encourage the street dwelling population to want to participate, sighting that these persons “will not be a part of anything that will compromise their freedom.”
The first inaugural meeting of the Committee established to develop an immediate strategy to address the street dwelling issue in Trinidad and Tobago was held on Friday February 3, 2017.
In discussion: Members of the Ministry and the business community engage in talks to address street dwelling in Trinidad and Tobago.
For further information please contact:
The Corporate Communications Unit
Ministry pf Social Development and Family Services
868-623-2608