![\"\"](\"http:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/commentary1.jpg\" "\\"commentary\\"")
Earlier in the week I was listening to the topic about vagrants in Roseau on Matt in the Morning\u2019s programme on Q95 FM. Callers expressed concern that government is not doing anything to remove these people, who are accused of harassing tourists and locals. Others blame the families of these vagrants.<\/p>\n
But if any of us with brains larger than that of a bird knows that it is not a quick-fix situation and no one can be blamed entirely for this vexing issue.<\/p>\n
First and foremost, Dominica is not the only country that has a vagrant problem. It is even worst in developed First World countries like the United States and Canada. That\u2019s why I was appalled when former chief justice Sir Brian Alleyne indicated that Dominica has become a begging state because people are always on the streets begging. And I was even more shocked when he blamed the present government. During Sir Alleyne\u2019s government, and before his government, street people was always a problem.<\/p>\n
The issue of vagrancy, beggars, mentally ill people and drug addicts roaming the streets is a problem rooted in a variety of factors such as lack of employment, the drug trade, broken homes and families, lack of ambition and poverty. It is not a government problem. Sir Alleyne and some of these Johnny Come Lately know this.<\/p>\n
Do you remember the famous Street People Scandal in Jamaica which attracted regional and international attention\/condemnation?<\/p>\n
In July 1999, a group of approximately 32 mentally ill and homeless people in the popular tourist city of Montego bay were forcibly trucked to another parish called St Elizabeth, and abandoned in a deserted area. A Commission of Inquiry ended with no one being held accountable.<\/p>\n
It is no secret that these people have a negative effect on tourism and the image of any country.<\/p>\n
In Roseau, I see a new street person almost every week. The Grotto Home for the Homeless can only do so much. Some of these vagrants do not want to stay at the Home. They prefer to go on the street and beg, especially the drug addicts and the mentally ill.<\/p>\n
My solution is this: 2. Families:<\/strong> The relatives of these people, especially the mentally ill, should be held accountable. When it is substantiated that a vagrant is mentally ill, then relatives must be contacted and held responsible. Relatives of these people should be cautioned by law enacted in parliament that if they do not keep their relatives off the street, provide a place of accommodation and care for their health, they will face imprisonment or a fine. It is disheartening to see some of these well-off or better-off relatives pass their brothers, sisters, cousins, etc on the street every day and do not nothing to help them.<\/p>\n Night landing CARICOM Airways saga<\/strong><\/p>\n Now this situation is a load of garbage. If I was their mother I would take a strap and lash everyone involved, including Minister Rayburn Blackmoore, St. Lucia\u2019s Minister of Tourism Allen Chastanet, the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA), St. Vincent\u2019s Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, the secretaries, cook, media and the parents of these people involved. No seriously, this is Caribbean unity at its best. This shows how good we are at working together as a Caribbean people, over a simple issue as an airline seeking to operate an 8-seater , not a frigging jet with 100 people, but an 8-seater. Minister Blackmoore claimed that the ECCAA gave CARICOM Airways permission to operate in Dominica, yet it did not give permission to land in St. Vincent? Does this mean each country has its own ECCAA rules? Why can\u2019t we work together? Why? CSME is like a big fat joke. You hold a CSME certificate which gives you right of free movement and a journalist gets deported for allegedly overstaying! People take a look at the bigger picture; everyone involved in this must be blamed. It shows disorganization, misinformation and lack of unity as BLACK, Caribbean people. We are all so prejudiced and pompous as if the majority of our ancestors were not on a slave ship coming from Africa many years ago. Take a leaf from the book of the white, Indian, and Arabian people!<\/p>\n Crime in We<\/strong>sley<\/strong><\/p>\n Several incidents of stabbing and shooting has occurred in Wesley over the past month and the majority of law-abiding citizens in that village are concerned. It is no secret that the marijuana\/drug trade has been influencing a lot of the crime in that community. But when there is lack of employment for young people, many find it easier to go and plant and sell weed. On top of that, the stress of not being able to find something productive to do, builds up a lot of anger in people and they become naturally aggressive and ghetto-like. Now what pisses me off is that it took so long to hear anything from the parliament representative, Minister Gloria Shillingford, who like many successful Dominica Labour Party candidates like Ambrose George etc, have disappeared from thin air since being elected. In light of all these shootings and stabbings, wouldn\u2019t a little statement sooner than later on the situation make the constituency feel better? Silence is like betrayal in this matter. It took a lot of criticisms on the air to let her sneak out from the hole.\u00a0 To add insult to injury, it is a magistrate, Tiyani Behanzin, who is planning a peace concert, who is seemingly rooting for the people. Behanzin was never elected to serve Wesley and its environs. Ms. Shillingford, my advice is to shape up or get out. Be on the lookout for Mr. Behanzin; he is eyeballing your seat and he might just be successful.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Earlier in the week I was listening to the topic about vagrants in Roseau on Matt in the Morning\u2019s programme on Q95 FM. Callers expressed concern that government is not doing anything to remove these people, who are accused of…","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":24706,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24705","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\n1. Increased gov\u2019t subsidy:<\/strong> Government needs to pump more resources into the home for the homeless which can allow the caretakers to upgrade the facilities, provide more meals, clothing and accommodation, as well as long-term social, educational and rehabilitative programmes for these people, in collaboration with other agencies. The Grotto Home is desperately in need of more help. Part of the funding will also go towards better securing the facility, to stop some of these people from leaving and roaming the streets.<\/p>\n
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\nThis night landing scenario is now a big joke, so big that people have branded flu-like symptoms \u2018Night Landing\u2019. While some limited night landing exists through Winair, it is way short of what was announced prior to its launch last year. Without LIAT, night landing is useless and just a continuous facade. It is obvious government did not conduct and complete adequate research before rushing to hold a colourful and costly ceremony where people shed tears, hugged and sang \u2013 almost all in vain. We acknowledge government was under pressure because they missed the completion deadlines for the Melville Hall Airport Development several times. But I cannot understand how they got LIAT to do an inaugural test flight then months later LIAT is still not satisfied with the safety provisions. It does not make sense. And who is to be blamed? Not LIAT, but government. Simple! You cannot launch something unless it is completed. LIAT, which has an unblemished safety record, will not risk the lives of their passengers.<\/p>\n