Will Desmond’s McKenzie’s $515M allocation per MP announcement include MSM/transgender homeless?

So the grandstanding in parliament continues, during the sectoral debate Minster Desmond McKenzie announced with some stridency that all members’ of parliament will effectively receive some $515M or $90M per constituency. The money is to supposedly help with funeral grants (recently raised from $70,000 to $80,000) a benefit that is already available from the National Insurance Scheme, NIS, aiding the indigent with housing and the elderly, what about the poor relief funds, are they being managed properly that it would require this additional half a billion tranche; it seems totally unnecessary one to me is the purchase of tablets for ministers, why oh why is that relevant to be bought by taxpayers’ money when Ministers earn millions and can purchase their own devices alongside the already owned smartphones, lest we forget the phone bill scandal where the ministry phones were abused and overused running into millions of dollars. In the previous PNP administration we saw the same nonsense at that time the then minister claimed that monies would have been pulled from the National Housing Trust, HNT to aid the general homeless populations. To date no such evidence has come forth that this has been done or the excuse may be that the administration changed so those ideas would have been scrapped; the usual lack of continuity continue as ministers want the credit instead of simply doing what is right.

Commendable that he announced (added to my annoucementitis) a drop centre in Hanover and or a homeless shelter in Westmoreland alongside earlier announcements of infirmaries in rural Jamaica and golden age homes to be spruced up but the goodly minsters seems not to be interested or is aware of previous administrations that have also made such announcements as evidenced in the photos below.

That space on upper King Street nearing the York Park Fire station designated as a drop in and homeless shelter mix, I guess because it was done under the PNP government it won’t get the follow-up as it should be, what also is concerning is on the very sign are the logos of international agencies in support and it begs the question whether or not these agencies follow up on these things to make sure that the respective projects are carried through albeit their names are attached. Who cares really? If we cannot deal with homelessness generally maybe it may be a near waste of time to ask for the decent things to happen.

Minister's McKenzie's speech said in part:

"I wish to announce that:

• J$400 million will be made available for Indigent Housing, Social Assistance,

 Education and Funeral Grants.

• J$115 million will be devoted to a special fund to assist Councillors to respond decisively to victims of fire in their Divisions, and there will also be allocations to Councillors to assist with the establishment of official offices in their Divisions.

• We will also provide all Councillors and the Mayor of Portmore with a tablet to enhance the execution of their duties.

• Let me break it down, Mr. Speaker. Each Councillor will be able to access

 J$500,000 per year, to provide needy constituents with Housing Assistance Grants.

• J$90 million will be made available to care for those who live in indigent houses across Jamaica.

• An additional J$1.7 million will be made available to each Local Authority to assist with Educational Grants.

• An additional J$1.5 million will be made available to each Local Authority for the provision of Funeral Grants.

• There are homes that take in and care for homeless persons, Mr. Speaker. We are going to provide financial assistance to these homes, in amounts relative to their size and the number of people they serve.

• The processing of applications for all these benefits will be managed by the Poor Relief Departments of the Municipal Corporations, to ensure that all verification and compliance requirements are adhered to.

• Mr. Speaker, this is a new day in Local Government. I have been in the system for 39 years, and I know the challenges elected and administrative officials face.

 In meeting with them since my appointment as Minister, I have heard the cry across the political divide, for something new and lasting to happen in Local Government.

• It is happening now, Mr. Speaker. The Councillors are seeing the change. The staff of the Local Authorities are seeing the change. There are Members of Parliament who served in Local Government, such as the Member from South-Western St. Andrew, the Minister of Science, Energy and Technology read the rest HERE

With the heavy rains hitting the island we all know how the cycle goes year in year out, monies have to be diverted from elsewhere barring the Finance Ministry aiding as well to repair flooded areas, damaged homes and lost cattle especially in deep rural communities.

In addition the Social Development Commission SDC is also to receive some millions as well that is yet to be announcement probably at the post debate press conference yet administration after administration makes these grandiose announcements supposedly to appease the poor and the usual follow-up issues come up. Very little improvement seems forthcoming in troubled communities, prisons, places of safety are bursting at the seams and identified spaces for general homelessness interventions just stand unused complete with a sign albeit with a sign listed all the sponsors which read as a who’s who of ‘human rights’ and donor organizations which calls into question what is there purpose really? It seems more like a grand show and administrative rape for the least amongst us to look good. Don’t they ask questions of these beneficiaries outside of elegant statistics? As for powerful monied churches save and except for a few selfless ones who seem to care more about their own piety and survival linking themselves to political parties but check the streets generally and what do you see?

Aren’t members of parliament already in the receipt of dispersements of constituency funds and can they not call on the Ministry of Finance if it comes to the test for fires, unexpected disasters and other emergencies. Why not use the already available state systems and channels, I get very nervous when members’ of parliament are allowed or are perceived to be handling state funds with a near free hand under the guise of helping the less fortunate, if we cannot seem to solve the well known corruption in the first place as some cover their tracks quite nicely then why shouldn’t this latest money bag gift be not another outlet for dipping into. Contractor General Reports after reports have shown us that some simply cannot be trusted yet no one except J.A.G Smith way back in the day under the JLP was imprisoned. We all saw what happened with the Cuban light bulb scandal with one Spencer.

Julian Robinson MP and PNP General Secretary is the representative in the problem plagued New Kingston business district also had said he wanted to supposedly assist the homeless MSM/trans yet to date very little help has even trickled and or the usual tokenism comes to mind despite several media reports of challenges and previous blog posts. Minister McKenzie has not proven to me he has evolved on homosexuality; remember this one from the 2011 electioneering in Montego Bay?

Also see:

The PNP won some say as they supposedly promised a conscience vote which ever materialised. Not that the elderly are not due assistance but the homeless MSM/trans have been on the radar for decades overall but more so within the last eight years or so, so much so that they have made international news time and time again while others just use them for all kinds of reasons. There is no state operated housing to meet some of the challenges from the consequences of forced evictions or self imposed exile due to homophobia wrapped up sometimes in violence. In a previous post the impacted individual still is by me as he tries to get a job in one of the call centres around for now.

Within the last two weeks alone clashes with members of the public continue with the homeless persons in the Shoemaker/Kencot gullies, not to mention the previous CISOCA operation to remove a fourteen year old from the batch which in turn suggests the age cohort is getting younger again as in times past; commensurately in western Jamaica by Dump Up beach yet again as that side of the country where some of the MSM/trans get involved in commercial sex work the occasional accident or clash occurs.

NGOs seem not interested in any full response yet still even as they ask for ‘equality’ lest we forget or do not know equality does not mean justice. Only in this week there was an alleged altercation with members of the Kingston group and members of the public.

Peace & tolerance

H

also see:

And MSM continue to be ready material for data collection ..... what about the interventions? 

Shelter Coming For Homeless Gays reports the Gleaner 

Housing Minister seeks funds for Shelter from NHT Money ....... Will the LGBT Homeless be Assisted?