Dear Editor,

First, let me say from the start that I am protesting on behalf of a female health care assistant who is very closely related to me.

Secondly, while I am very aware of the risks that the workers of the Golden Age Home take, just to go to and from work, I was not asked by this or any other employee of the Golden Age Home to make this protest. In fact, this female health care assistant is not even aware of me making the public in general aware of the risks involved in going to and from that place.

As most of us know, the Golden Age Home in Vineyard Town is a residence for seniors. I am not sure how many residents and employees are there now, but the employees – and I suspect anyone, for that matter – who has to go to that place is doing so at great personal risk. There are frequent muggings of people (especially employees, as they wear their uniforms) by thugs who prey on them for whatever they have.

Employees are being frequently robbed, especially at the end of the week or month, when it is thought that these employees are walking with a lot of money. Recently, one worker was so badly attacked she had to be hospitalised. My close relative just missed being that victim – by mere minutes.

The Golden Age complex has only one entrance, which is on St Joseph’s Avenue. However, the actual entrance to the clusters is about 900 feet inside the property. Between these two entrances is an empty space. From my understanding, it is primarily this empty space (which I understand is poorly lit at night) that poses the greatest risks to people going to and from the facility. I understand that there is a security detail at the inside entrance, but none at the entrance from St Joseph’s Avenue.

These muggings, sometimes violent, are becoming far too frequent now – many occurring in broad daylight. For the sake of my close relative and everybody else, I am appealing that something be done to deter the criminals who prey on anyone entering the facility.

Can I make some recommendations? First, the Golden Age Home needs to get a security detail – preferably an armed guard, or at least one with an attack dog, at the entrance on St Joseph’s Avenue. Now, while this security detail may not have to be at the St Joseph’s Avenue entrance 24 hours a day, every day, that security detail needs to be there all day and for most of the night – from very early in the morning to late at night.

Fix the damn street lights! The poor lighting is giving too much cover for these criminals. What will it take to install some more lights – and not just on the road between the two entrances, but also in the open spaces as well?

A part of the property borders Portland Road. The space between the St James Road border and the inside entrance is about 100 foot or so. Why can’t a second entrance be made from St James Road? This leads right onto Giltress Street and people are always there and it is not as lonely and dark as the journey from the St Joseph’s Avenue entrance. How much can a gate, a 100 feet driveway, and an extra light cost the powers that be that this hasn’t been done yet?

I really hope that something is done to alleviate the anxiety that workers and others have when they have to go to that place. Why must we always wait until someone is killed before anything substantive is gone?

Please do something now!

Michael A Dingwall

michael_a_dingwall@hotmail.com