Centre for Socially-Displaced Persons Closed

The Ministry of Social Development and Family Services has advised that the Centre for Socially Displaced Persons (CSDP), located at Riverside Carpark in Port of Spain has been closed effective September 1st, 2022. A statement from the Ministry says the CSDP facility was not purpose-built but rather retrofitted to provide the required care services which are critically needed. It added that it was previously determined that the venue is unsuitable as long term residential accommodation for socially-displaced persons as it has also outgrown its original purpose. In 1991, the Government entered into an arrangement with the St. Vincent De Paul Society to manage the operations of the CSDP. However, due to a myriad of challenges, the decision was taken by the Ministry to relocate the residents of the CSDP. All residents of the centre have been decanted. As of June 2022, ninety persons were housed at the facility. Thirty six have been successfully relocated, 11 persons to the Community Care Programme, and 20 voluntarily left among other arrangements.