The Centre for Socially Displaced Persons, located at Riverside Carpark in Port of Spain, has officially been closed.

Eight-six residents have been relocated to other facilities or programs, including  the Community Care Programme, Mental Health Long Term Care and drug rehabilitation. At least one person has been reunited with family, while five accepted training opportunities through Vision on Mission.

“The CSDP facility was not purpose built but rather retrofitted to provide the required care services which are critically needed. It was previously determined that this venue is unsuitable as long term residential accommodation for socially displaced persons and therefore alternative options have been identified to provide an improved quality of life for the displaced population including street dwellers. Within recent times, it has been determined that the venue has outgrown its original purpose, and as a result, it has become necessary to relocate the residents to a more feasible venue. All residents of the centre have been decanted,” the Ministry of Social Development said in a statement on Thursday.

As of June 2022, ninety people were housed at the facility.

The Ministry provided a full breakdown of the transfers: 

The Ministry successfully relocated thirty-six persons: eleven (11) persons to the Community Care Programme; seven (7) persons to Mental Health Long Term Care; five (5) accepted training opportunities through Vision on Mission; eight persons to Drug Rehabilitation (8), one client was reunited with his son; one client accepted the Ministry’s Rental Assistance Grant; one client is awaiting to be reunited following contact with their relative, and two persons are currently hospitalized and will be placed by the Ministry upon discharge. Additionally, thirty-four (34) residents have declined placement, some of whom are employed and twenty persons (20) voluntarily left the CSDP.