PORT ANTONIO, Portland — The Government on Friday opened a sanctuary for homeless people in this parish.

The Portland Drop-in and Night Shelter, as it is named, is located at West Baptist Avenue in Port Antonio, the parish capital.

The opening of the facility delighted Portland Eastern Member of Parliament Ann-Marie Vaz, officials of the municipal corporation, and Desmond McKenzie, the minister of local government and rural development.

“This is the ninth facility like this the Government has built right across Jamaica since 2016. This one stands out because it is the first drop-in centre that will also be considered a night shelter. It will operate 24 hours a day,” McKenzie told guests at the opening ceremony.

He said the facility will provide the homeless “with a roof, clothing, meals, and medical attention”, adding that he has observed that “a lot of the people who use these facilities go out and seek employment”.

“We have spent more than $400 million building these facilities across the country and every one is fully furnished with proper staff and the requisite resources to ensure food and medicine,” McKenzie said.

He noted that the completion was just outside the projected timeline, but boasted that the facility was built within budget. “We did not have to find a dollar extra out of what was allocated for the original construction to take place. I want to commend the Portland Municipal Corporation for an excellent job of work,” he said, and drew comparison to the construction of a new ward at the infirmary.

“When we spent over $41 million building a new ward at the infirmary we did not have to find additional funds, and that work was done on time,” he said, then praised the people who worked on building the facility, as well as the staff.

“While we celebrate these achievements, we must never forget the workers, the staff, the superintendent, and I want to say congratulations for a job well done,” McKenzie said.

Vaz, too, was full of praise for the work done on the drop-in and night shelter.

“This is the most significant thing we are witnessing here today. The homeless population had become almost a menace to society, obstructing children and adults going about their business. There was a cry from every quarter about what should be done with the homeless. This is a $51-million investment with $5.8 million worth of furniture, which will be able to accommodate, each night, 18 males and 10 females,” she said.

“This centre will be a safe haven for our people,” she added.