Golden Age Home workers under attack!

THE EDITOR, Sir:

FIRST, LET me say from the start that I am protesting on behalf of a female healthcare assistant who is very closely related to me. As most of us know, the Golden Age Home, in Vineyard Town, is a residence for seniors. I am not sure how many residents and employees are there now, but the employees – and I suspect anyone, for that matter – who has to go to that place is doing so at great personal risk.

Employees are being frequently robbed, especially at the end of the week or month, when it is thought that they are walking with a lot of money. Recently, one worker was so badly attacked, she had to be hospitalised. My close relative just missed being that victim – by mere minutes.

The Golden Age Home complex has one entrance, which is on St Joseph’s Avenue. However, the actual entrance to the clusters is about 900 feet inside the property. Between these two entrances is an empty space. From my understanding, it is primarily this empty space (which I understand is poorly lit at nights) that poses the greatest risk to people going to and from the facility.

SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE

These muggings, sometimes violent, are becoming far too frequent now – some occurring in broad daylight. For the sake of my close relative and everybody else – I am appealing that something be done to deter the criminals who prey on anyone entering the facility.

Can I make some recommendations? First, the Golden Age Home needs to get a security detail – preferably an armed guard, or at least one with an attack dog, at the entrance on St Joseph’s Avenue. Now while a guard may not have to be posted at the St Joseph’s Avenue entrance 24 hours a day, someone needs to be there all day and for most of the night – from very early in the morning to late at night.

Fix the damn street lights! Poor lighting is giving too much cover for these criminals! What will it take to install some more lights – and not just on the road between the two entrances, but also in the open spaces as well?

Part of the property borders Portland Road. The space between the Portland Road border and the inside entrance is about one hundred feet or so. Why can’t a second entrance be made on to Portland Road? Portland Road leads right on to Giltress Street. People are always there, and it is not as lonely and dark as the journey from the St Joseph’s Avenue entrance to the inside one.

Please, authorities, do something NOW! MICHAEL A. DINGWALL michael_a_dingwall@hotmail.com