A homeless person

EDITOR: As a follow-up to my last article I will highlight one of the many homeless persons in St Vincent and the Grenadines. He is Mr. Colin King. It is with his permission the following is being published.

Colin is an intelligent individual. He attended the SVG Grammar School from 1977 to 1983. While there he was always seen with his Clarinet (a musical instrument). As a matter of fact, Colin loved music and in particular playing of the Clarinet. In 2018, the Association of Writers awarded him a Doctorate in Music. He had won a scholarship from OAS on writing music in Jamaica.

Colin suffered from Mental Illness and in 1990 migrated to Florida where his mother lived. His migration was in part to assist with the treatment of his mental illness. After treatment he was his self again in less than five months. His mental illness was such that he shut down totally. He stopped writing and doing music. He stopped communicating. He, at one time, became like a vegetable. He became angry and thought that people were against him.

As a result of his illness he lost his job where he worked as a journalist at the Vincentian Newspaper. Later on, he was downsized from an employed journalist with the Vincentian to a freelancer. Colin also played his Clarinet regularly for the ATTIC night club. He traveled and worked briefly in the Fuji Island and then Los Angeles in America. While in Florida he taught music to children and did some musical writing.

Inspite of his achievements listed above and many more that has not been mentioned because of space, Colin lives on the street with no home.

Colin had to return to SVG because he was undocumented. Having returned to this country some 15 years now, he has struggled and is shun by many and abandoned. His main source of income is the money sent to him by his mother. She tries and continues to try her best with him.

It is unfortunate that someone like him should be living such a life. Colin, like many others who are homeless, does have a story. Colin, inspite of his circumstances, continues to read and educate himself. He is an ardent reader and someone who can hold a very good and intelligent conversation. His situation does show to us one of the horrors of mental illness and that it is something that should be addressed.

It is my hope from this article that we would have a better appreciation for many homeless persons and by extension commit ourselves to helping some of them. Colin is not involved in drugs. However, he will admit to you that he is addicted to cigarettes.

It is my hope that we would look at persons like COLIN differently. Someone like him should not be living on the streets and it is my pray that he would be shown love and appreciation. Colin is looking forward to joining his mother when the time is right, but in the meantime let us reach out to him. Thanks.

Kennard King