Child Care director says to stop giving child beggars money

Last Updated on Wednesday, 30 December 2015, 13:06 by Denis Chabrol

Director of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA) Ann Greene says that for the state to effectively tackle the issue of children begging on the city streets – the public has a major role to play.

That role, according to Green involves persons not bowing to the wishes of beggars and giving them money, but rather reporting them to the CC&PA.

Green at an end of year press conference on December 30, acknowledged that the issue was still a major one with the agency receiving complaints daily.

“So that’s what I want adults to do – don’t give them money. Tell them listen there is place that can help you,” said Greene.

She stated that she has had some run-ins with child beggars and in each case has tried to intervene via the agency.

“I tell them come see me down at the office every time I run into them…tell me where you are living and then I send the officers out to go find the woman with the child on the streets,” stated.

Green made it clear that giving money to the children only encourages the scourge and people should start looking at it from that angle.

“It’s the population that encourages that the more you give the more they keep coming…If people see that they are not getting any help – they will stop,” said the Agency Director.