Am I my brother's keeper ?

     

   

Photo taken of a socially displaced man on Frederick Street. 

Photograph by : Brendon Taylor 

 

      Homelessness is the term used to describe “an individual who lacks housing (without regard to whether the individual is a member of a family), including an individual whose primary residence during the night is a supervised public or private facility that provides temporary living accommodations, and an individual who is a resident in transitional housing.” (National Health Care for the Homeless Council, 2016) Walking the streets of Port-of-Spain, and by extension cities across the world, you are guaranteed to encounter a homeless individual; itis a global phenomenon. In fact, we have all moved to the opposite side of the street or taken a detour in order to avoid social interaction with the homeless individual on the street. The majority of pedestrians, whether tourists or locals, view homeless individuals as a nuisance, annoyance or a hazard. In addition, Bannerjee (2001) states that the homeless have contributed to the intimidation and expropriation of the public, forcing the public to reduce the use of the public realm. Ultimately, the presence of homeless individuals predominantly in urban areas has adversely affected the quality and supply of the public spaces. 

   

   In Trinidad, the major causes of homelessness are mental illness, drug abuse and poverty. (Gopie, 2012) In the case of mental illness, families and public medical facilities are unable to adequately cater for their special needs. According to Gopie(2012), "With no services and no means of dealing with mentally disturbed relatives, many families end up being unable to cope and their loved ones end up on the streets." Again in the instance of substance abuse, there are no proper means to deal with drug addiction. To compound the situation, relatives who account for family pride and reputation forsake addicts, relegating them to the streets. Thirdly, poverty which is an outcome of unemployment, prevents individuals from sustaining their livelihoods. In relation to the homeless, poverty prevents these individuals from meeting monthly payments for housing such as rent or mortgage. 

    

   What is the state doing to eradicate homelessness? What facilities have been provided? Gopie (2012) states that the "few State facilities that exist to deal with mental illness are in a dilapidated state, using outdated practices and methods". It simply should not be that a country which is oil-rich, moving towards development and modernization lacks the ability to medically treat the mentally ill. Why do we ostracize those who are homeless? Our views on those who are socially displaced seldom remind us that they are human beings too. Instead, we view them as sub-human but mere parasites of society who are looking to sustain themselves on "handouts". The argument is not that some socially displaced individuals are not lazy but that they need to be empowered. We never take the opportunity to reflect and switch places with the man or woman on the street. There is no doubt that we would desire a second chance to redeem ourselves from past mistakes. Gopie (2012) agrees with this view stating that "Cultural and social attitudes concerning the perception of the homeless and their rights need to shift."Despite the fact that the government has an important role to play in the eradication of homeless, it is the responsibility of each citizen to contribute an individual effort. Our humanity must overpower the capitalist mentality and overwhelm us to become "our brother's keeper" in our homes and communities. 

   

   The fact of the matter is that homeless individuals devalue a public space or bring a sense of discomfort to pedestrians. However, ensuring a sense of belonging and security for all citizens in the public realm while maintaining the prestigious image of the city cannot be achieved by ostracizing the homeless. Rather, eradicating homelessness in our society requires us to address the causes of social displacement as society. Until we recognize this, a life on the streets will continue to prove insufferable for the socially displaced and uncomfortable for the pedestrians that encounter them. 

 

 

References

Bannerjee, Tridib. 2001. "The future of public spaces: Beyond invented streets and reinvented places". Journal of the American Planning Association: Winter 67 (1): 9-24. 

 

Gopie, Rajiv. 2012. " Tackling homelessness in T&T". Trinidad Express Newspapers. Accessed March 20, 2016.http://www.trinidadexpress.com/commentaries/Tackling_homelessness_in_T_T-160782245.html. 

 

National Health Care for the Homeless Council. 2016. " What is the official definition of homelessness?". Accessed March 22, 2016. https://www.nhchc.org/faq/official-definition-homelessness/.