Port of Spain temporary homeless shelter closed

The ground floor of the Riverside Carpark will no longer be used as a temporary shelter for the socially displaced.

The temporary facility was built by members of the Defence Force last April after the government imposed stay-at-home restrictions.

Now that restrictions have been lifted, the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services said the facility is underutilised.

In a press release on Wednesday, the ministry announced the government is closing the shelter, as there is enough space at the Centre for Socially Displaced Persons and covid19 guidelines must be adhered to.

It said the shelter provided nutritional and hygienic support for 93 people during the last ten months.

Minister of Social Development and Family Services Donna Cox said the facility had been a proactive approach.

She said this was also why the ministry was in "high-level" talks on amending the law to let to the authorities actively remove street dwellers from public spaces "while respecting their human and constitutional rights as citizens.”

Those interested in assisting socially displaced people in their communities can call the ministry’s Social Displacement Unit at 623-2608 ext 5701 - 5705 from Monday-Friday from 8 am-4 pm.