Minister of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting, the Hon. Myles Laroda commented on the evictions of persons from the Poinciana Inn shelter.  Residents who were initially granted 3 months have been in the shelter for up to one year.

Laroda told ZNS News, “I am confident in saying that the Bahamas Government has already provided assistance.  What needs to be said is this, those hardworking people at Social Services don’t have the ability to put the facts out.  If the facts were put in the public domain I’m sure that the majority of goodwill Bahamians, Bahamians who understand would see I could see how the government get to that position.  When you get to individuals who’ve been in our care for a year and six months sometimes longer, sometimes shorter, decisions have to be made.  You look at what we are presented with, individuals and you make that determination. Sometimes we have to say we can no longer carry this burden.”

The Minister also explained that persons who fail to leave temporary housing can cause a bottleneck in the system.  “There are dozens of Bahamians still at PMH (Princess Margaret Hospital) no longer in need of treatment who they are trying to place.  In order for those individuals who were there somebody had to leave. In all of the instances, I’m advised that extensions were granted, multiple extensions were granted.”

Laroda added, “If somebody has been in a shelter for two years or for a year and initially the contract that was signed was for two weeks you do the math.  There have been some other extensions that have been granted for like three months.”

The Minister comments came after shelter residents of the Poinciana Inn went public this week about their eviction notices from the Department of Social Services.