Cyril Ramdin, a pensioner from Enmore, East Coast Demerara, who is said to be in his 70s, has been removed from an abandoned vehicle where he had been living for months and taken to the Palms Geriatric Home in Georgetown after his plight was publicised by Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed.
“Residents say they approached a minister 3 months ago, but no action has been taken.
According to residents, officials from the Enmore/Hope NDC collected Mr. Ramdin on Election Day and took him to cast his vote (September 1st last year). Since then, his plight has been ignored,” Mohamed said in a statement on Thursday.
He called attention to Ramdin’s unsanitary living conditions near the Enmore Primary School where no washroom facilities had been available to him.
Residents shared that the area NDC chairman, accompanied by police, had previously visited the man, stating that they would return within three days to arrange for him to get into a shelter. However, residents noted that this was three months ago and no action had been taken since. They also claimed that Human Services Minister Vindhya Persaud, when called, indicated she did not handle such cases and provided a contact number for a night shelter, but repeated attempts to reach the facility reportedly went unanswered despite more than 60 calls. Minister Persaud could not be reached yesterday to respond to that claim.
Residents further stated that the man has been living in the vehicle for the past six months and remained exposed to the elements, noting that when it rains, he becomes wet as he has no proper shelter.
On Friday, the ministry issued a statement on its Facebook page informing that immediate action had been taken following the reports that were circulating on social media. The ministry said it promptly conducted an outreach to visit to assess the situation and provide support. “The individual was informed of the assistance available and consented to being relocated to a safer environment where he can receive the care and support he needs.”
“This intervention reflects the ministry’s continued commitment to responding quickly, compassionately, and effectively to reports involving vulnerable individuals. The ministry remains dedicated to ensuring that every person in need is treated with dignity and connected to the appropriate services without delay. The ministry encourages members of the public to continue reporting cases of concern so that timely interventions can be made,” the statement continued.
It is unclear how the man remained in these conditions for such an extended period without the authorities becoming aware of his situation, as the ministry claimed that it was unaware of the situation prior to the social media reports on Friday. It is also not clear whether the rapid intervention was influenced by external or political pressure, given that placement into state care facilities such as The Palms typically involves established administrative procedures.
Usually, admission to The Palms requires several steps, including a social welfare investigation, a medical assessment, and documentation and verification of the individual’s circumstances. The case is then reviewed and approved by senior officers within the Social Services Division.
Even when an individual meets the eligibility criteria, placement is often dependent on the availability of beds at the facility, meaning waiting times can range from a few days to several months or longer depending on capacity and urgency.
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