A homeless man chatting with an Observer reporter in New Kingston
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The homeless in and around New Kingston are running scared as authorities step up their programme to remove them from the streets ahead of the visit of United States President, Barack Obama to Jamaica later today.
”Over the past 24 hours is about seven of us them take off the road, some them bring up to Bellevue Hospital others they bring to the shelter,” said Anthony Brown, one of several homeless people who can normally be seen in and around the New Kingston area.
“Some of us them move off the road carry them up a Bellevue give injection. Others get new clothes and haircut ,” the 54-year-old Brown said, adding that he has been forced to live on the streets for the past 14 years.
But as the authorities step up their drive to clean up the streets, Brown and other homeless people say they are not pleased.
“Me vex, instead a spend so much money to fix up roads them could a spend it to take care a we much better,” said Brown.
Kimmo Matthews