Social Services Assistance: Those With Bahamian Status, Citizenship, Or Permanent Residents

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Eviction notices have been laid in the Montgomery Shantytown and now Social Services is on the move.

From as early as 7:30 Thursday morning officials were seen going from door to door speaking to occupants and collecting vital information.

Approximately 200 residents will soon be homeless as the government continues to demolish unregulated communities across the country.

Chief Social Worker, Deborah Smith shares with us how it’s done:

“Once they respond, we find out [their] names, contacts…once they process [the] information then we can make contact with them to say come in we can offer them a type of assistance,” she said.

Therefore, who qualifies for assistance? A question top of mind for many Bahamians looking at the operation from the outside.

“Persons who are documented with Bahamian status, either citizenship or permanent residents,” Smith said.

Similar to our walkthrough with police Wednesday, we were met with the same sights and smells of deteriorating conditions.

However, some homes appeared to be constructed up to code, completed with hurricane proof windows, security cameras, barb wire running across the room, and complete with Christmas decorations still hanging.

One of the social workers asked a resident if he pays rent, and our translator replied saying: “He say each a them pay 200 dollars a month[sic]….”

It begs the question, who is the money going to?

However, just like in other shantytowns we’ve visited, nobody could provide an answer.