“I Have To Go Back To Sleeping In Cars with My Kids”

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Anishka Adderley was just one of four women who was given notice to leave the Department of Social Services Poinciana Inn temporary shelter.

The mother of six says she got a call saying she is to be out of the Village Road shelter by Thursday. She was among four women who were asked to leave, one of the women is blind, while the other is a dialysis patient.

They got support from other concerned Bahamians who gathered outside the facility Monday protesting the evictions.

Protestors eventually got to the door of the facility, demanding a meeting with the facility’s administrator but that didn’t happen.

They were eventually asked to take their protest outside the property’s gate.

Assistant Director with responsibility for Temporary Shelters and Community Support Services Division Cherely Kelly says the shelter program is developed so those in need can be housed for some time.

She says shelter residents are allowed to stay up to three months and an exit strategy is developed to help them transition out of the home.

“Each of the  residents here signs a contract with our government to say that they are quite aware of the policy and procedures are,” Kelly said.

Poinciana Inn Administrator Dawn Darling said they come up with an exit strategy to help people move into a place where they can be self-sufficient.

“The persons that we are speaking about had an exit strategy,” she said. “One was to help a family member get a job in order to help that family unit be able to successfully move on. that happened.”