THE opening of the $140-million Desmond McKenzie Transitional Centre for the Homeless marks the fulfilment of a long-standing dream of the man in whose honour the facility is named.

The state-of-the-art centre, which is the country’s first adult transitional facility for persons living on the nation’s streets, was officially opened by Prime Minister Andrew Holness last Friday.

Located at 163-167 King Street in downtown Kingston, the centre, which will operate 24 hours a day, will cater to people living on the streets in the Corporate Area.

Currently, it has the capacity to house 40 people, for whom it will serve as a shelter and rehabilitative service point. It is intended to aid in the holistic renewal of the lives of clients, who will benefit from protection and specialised care.

In recognition of his many years of service to the nation’s homeless, the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) on May 10 approved a resolution to name the facility in honour of McKenzie, who is minister of local government and rural development.

McKenzie has had the vision since 2008 when he was mayor of Kingston to transform the building, which was an abandoned dental office, into the shelter for the homeless.

“Recognising the unbridled passion, Mr McKenzie has been catering to these destitute persons,” Prime Minister Holness said, adding that the centre’s name is “fitting… and a symbol of hope”.

He said that throughout his career, McKenzie has been a strong advocate for the poor and dispossessed and has been consistent in his care and support and unwavering dedication to their cause.

“I want to commend Minister McKenzie and to congratulate you and to say that the honour is well-deserved. You have worked, shown the effort and the passion…I [am] happy… for the persons who will benefit from this facility,” he said.

Holness pointed out that McKenzie took the establishment of the shelter as “his personal passion. The minister took this as something he believed in and safe to say, even if he were not in politics, he would have pursued it and he placed special effort in having it done that his colleagues on both sides of the political divide, thought it befitting”.

The prime minister said the facility’s commissioning “is yet another tangible statement of what this Government is doing to the help poor and vulnerable in our society”.

He said it is anticipated that the facility will serve as an example of service excellence and improved care to the poor and vulnerable.

The transitional centre, he said, will offer specific services that are more broad-ranged than those provided at other care facilities such as drop-in centres and the infirmaries.

He pointed out that the aim is to provide a more intensive series of holistic approaches to rehabilitative care.

“In this sense, users will not only have access to regular services, such as shower facilities, bedding, change of clothes and meals, but will be provided with other critical services such as psychiatric care, counselling, rehabilitation, occupational therapy, social reintegration and full medical treatment, which seek to address a more transformative and holistic form of care deemed more sustainable and beneficial,” he added.

The prime minister further noted that the centre is suitably located at King Street to cater to the homeless in Kingston and St Andrew, which, according to the 2017 Point in Time Survey on Homelessness, accounts for 60 per cent of the approximately 2,000 persons living on the streets.

In this regard, Holness indicated that the second phase of the project will see the addition of another floor to the building, which will increase the centre’s capacity to 100 people.

Meanwhile, referring to McKenzie as “a champion for the homeless”, mayor of Kingston, Senator Councillor Delroy Williams, said it was a privilege for the KSAMC to have named the shelter for the homeless in McKenzie’s honour.

He noted that the opening of the shelter is also an important event in the commemoration of the 60th year of Jamaica’s Independence and the 150th year of Kingston as the capital city of Jamaica.

Minority leader of the KSAMC, Councillor Andrew Swaby, also had high praise for the local government minister. He said that while he is aware that McKenzie is a humble person who has no interest in being in the spotlight, Swaby said, “Minister, you can’t escape this one,” with the centre being rightly named in his honour.

“The safety and security [of the homeless] have been among your priorities; you have displayed genuine care for humanity, and that is worthy of recognition,” he said.

Swaby said the long-overdue transitional centre represents “hope, a new beginning, an opportunity for many to get their lives back on track.

“This centre stands to provide homeless individuals with warmth, safety and protection from the unfavourable weather conditions. It also provides food and temporary lodging while equipping them with the resources and support needed to regain stability. The beneficiaries of this centre feel secure and free from the cruel and inhumane treatment to which they would be otherwise exposed while living in the streets,” he said.

Recounting the arduous journey to establish the centre, Minister McKenzie became emotional, his voice breaking as he fought to hold back tears at the full realisation that his persistence has finally borne fruit with the centre now being operational.

“It is a journey that I am happy has manifested itself to the point where we can officially open this facility. This is what we need to do to respond to the plight of [the homeless]… many of whom have contributed to the growth and development of Jamaica,” he said.

Staff at the new facility will be rotated on an approved system under the guidance of the KSAMC Poor Relief Department.

The new shelter will be complemented by a temporary shelter that was established on Church Street while construction was taking place, and which will continue to be used for that purpose.

– JIS