-PPP/C councillor says

By: Indrawattie Natram

PEOPLE’S Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) councillor, Veriena Rasheed, last Monday, called on the Ministry of Human Services to construct a home in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) for the accommodation of abused women and children. Veriena was at the time addressing the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) statutory meeting for the month of December. Speaking to her fellow councillors in the RDC boardroom, Rasheed said women and children in the region are being abused on a daily basis and, oftentimes, they have nowhere to go. She said due to the pandemic, many women are being beaten in their homes.

“Many women reach out to me. They are home with their husbands who are beating them. They can’t speak out because there is nowhere to go,” Rasheed said. She, therefore, requested that a shelter be constructed in the region so that abused individuals can be accommodated. The shelter, she suggested can also be used to conduct training and to empower women. APNU+AFC councillor, Mark Mc Lean, supported the idea and he used the opportunity to highlight a disturbing trend he has noticed in recent times.

He disclosed that families are taking their elders to the Suddie Public Hospital and abandoning them. Currently, the hospital has several cases of elders permanently living in the ward since their family members are refusing to collect them. Meanwhile, Region Two Chairperson, Vilma De Silva, also supported the call for the construction of a home for abused persons. She said the council will be working to make this idea a reality in 2021.

De Silva noted that she has a passion for women empowerment and she would be happy to see a shelter built to not only protect them, but to enhance their lives. Regional Executive Officer, Devanand Ramdatt, said that while construction of a home may not be possible, the administration can perhaps look for an available building that can serve this purpose. Like the Chairperson, he said the RDC will be working assiduously to address this issue in the new year.