Recently, residents of Court Shamrock Centre for Socially Displaced Persons received a special treat when they were visited by Miss T&T World delegate for San Fernando Elisheva Phillips and reigning National Calypso Monarch Terri Lyons.
In addition to a spirited a capella performance by Lyons, the men also received three computers, courtesy Browwwsers from Phillips as part of her Beauty With a Purpose challenge.
Addressing the residents, Court Shamrock supervisor and motivational speaker Kim Marcano Marcano lectured that the onus was on the residents to wear blinders at times when they feel most vulnerable.
Court Shamrock provides a safe space for men of all ages who live on the streets, a place to rest and to get a meal, but they are not subjected to stay at the Rushworth Street Extension venue during the daytime.
Marcano said: “People are not bad, but drugs do alter the mind and this is where it does take us. It happens right around. The power of addiction is to have a blinder when Fridays reach and you are not seeing nothing else but the rum shop or drug block.”
Emphasising the celebratory culture and nature of T&T, Marcano continued: “T&T is a place we make everything a fete; before you come into the world, is the baby shower, that is a fete, christening, birthday is fete, when we graduate is alcohol, marijuana, you meet a girl is alcohol, and when you get married and when you get divorced is more bacchanal. It is never enough. You have to do the best you can do to abstain and let the Lord do the rest.”
Marcano said it was important that a person should stop and reflect in order to stay clean of substance abuse.
(Innis Francis)