There is a man sitting in a wheelchair. He is blind. He is destitute. He reeks of urine and grime. He is also sitting in the middle of the road, obstructing traffic forcing drivers to be at their dexterous best to avoid hitting him. A taxi driver screams "Hey, p.... come out a di r.... road nuh!"

There is another man, a scary-looking albino with a hole in his face where his nose is supposed to be. He becomes even more terrifying at night when he shoves his face up against the window of your car begging for food or a few coins. It takes a strong stomach not to turn away and throw up as he glares into the vehicle, his wild eyes painting a nightmare for whoever is within.

Not far away is an older man heavily padded in rags. He doesn't speak but every now and then he looks up from under his furrowed brow keenly observing any passer-by. I once saw him wearing reading glasses while turning the pages of a 500-page novel. Not far from him is a man, virtually naked. The tattered pair of shorts he wears barely clings to his hip bones and barely conceals his manhood. His body is covered in grime. His mind is nowhere on this planet as he constantly stares into the sky searching for something, perhaps his sanity.

circumstances

These four men are all at or near one of the busiest intersections in the city of Kingston - where Trafalgar runs into Waterloo across Hope Road. Some have been there for months, others for years. Yet we drive by them every day and some nights as if they are just part of the landscape. The thing is these men are a danger to themselves and to others who use the roadway on a daily basis. Different circumstances took them there but they all share one thing in common - they need help.

I am not going to be calling on Government to do anything, because that is not what they do. And even if they could they are more likely to spend money buying vehicles or the loyalty of their constituents. But, as a people are we just going to let them remain out there? Do they have to kill someone or get themselves killed before we start to pay attention to the fact that they are there and not going anywhere? They have nowhere to go, so what are we going to do about it? There is also a guy out there who has no arms and no legs. It's not like he can do anything to help himself unless he can learn to move things with his mind. There are so many service organisations across the city and we hardly hear any of them making moves to help these homeless and in some cases demented and disabled individuals.

It says a lot about who we have become as a nation when these people are ignored. It's almost as if we are just waiting for them to die and then it's the Government's job to bury them somewhere. Surely, as a people we can do better. Yes, times are hard but if each one of us contributes a little of what we have, surely we can make a difference in the lives of these men. The guy in the wheelchair used to be able bodied but disease and other ailments have subsequently crippled and blinded him. It must be hard, really hard to live like that.

Put yourselves in their tattered shoes for a minute. Pretend that your circumstances forced you out there on the streets, the clothes on your back being your only possession. You spend each day in constant survival mode; no cushy air-conditioned cars, no nice home and a warm dinner to look forward to each night. Instead, rotting food and the occasional kindness of a few, are the only things that keep you alive each day. Eventually, the stress of it all causes you to lose your mind. Wouldn't you want someone, anyone to help you?

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It's almost as if we are just waiting for them to die and then it's the Government's job to bury them somewhere. Surely, as a people we can do better.