Jamaica: Prime Minister Andrew Holness officially opened the new state-of-the-art Transitional Centre for the Homeless in downtown Kingston, named in honour of former Councillor and former Mayor of Kingston, now Minister of Local Government, Desmond McKenzie.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness explained that the facility, based on Kings Street, was transformed from an abandoned dental office into a modern homeless centre.
Prime Minister further highlighted that the current capacity of the centre is 40, with plans in place to add another floor and increase the capacity to 100.
Noting that Kingston and St Andrew have over 60 percent of the nation’s homeless population, Prime Minister Holness said, “We must view the problem of homelessness in Jamaica as solvable.”
In keeping with this, the Prime Minister underscored that the new facility would extend the typical offerings of a drop-in centre to include services such as psychiatric care, social reintegration and rehabilitation.
Prime Minister Holness said, “Poor relief is not treated in a political way in Jamaica, and this is a good thing for our country. This is an example of the high quality of care that our poor and vulnerable citizens deserve.”
In the meantime, Prime Minister Holness also described the facility as a personal passion project of Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, since his time as Mayor of Kingston. Therefore, with the approval of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Cooperation (KSAMC), Prime Minister Holness said the building was named in honour of Minister Mc Kenzie for his career-long and consistent advocacy for the poor and destitute.
Prime Minister asserted, “It was an honour to officially open the new state-of-the-art Transitional Centre for the Homeless in Downtown Kingston, named in honour of former Councilor and former Mayor of Kingston, now Minister of Local Government, the Hon. Desmond McKenzie.”
The Desmond McKenzie Transitional Centre for the Homeless is a symbol of hope and transformation. He commends Minister McKenzie, Mayor Williams and the KSAMC for their tremendous work in getting this facility completed and for all the work they continue to do to support the homeless, the poor and the marginalized in the society.
Anglina Byron, developed a deep-seated passion for journalism. Anglina is recognized for her tenacity, strength, and unwavering commitment to delivering honest and reliable news across the Caribbean. She covers general affairs of the region.
