More youth on streets

Article by shadiasimpson

ONE OF THE ISLAND’S leading advocates for the homeless is reporting an increase in young people who are joining the ranks.
President of the Barbados Vagrant and Homeless Society (BVHS), Kemar Saffrey, told the media yesterday at the annual congress of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) Youth Arm, at BWU headquarters Solidarity House, that the society was monitoring the increase in young people between 16 and 21 years becoming homeless.
He also said that this was particularly obvious in the BVHS feeding programme, with about 30 young people seeking meals.
“[Since] I started five years ago, I have never seen the youth like I am seeing today. I have had one or two cases that stemmed from drugs and I am even getting HIV cases among the young people.
“We are even getting homeless gays. We are getting some who are working and are homeless . . . they are working but don’t have sufficient money to pay for a home,” he explained. (AH)