Major Lobban, (right) chats with yougsters after they graduated from the Possibility Programme's re-socialisation camp at Newcastle Training Camp last year August. The Possibility Programme is aimed at rehabilitating street boys. - File

Daraine Luton, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

HE SAYS he is 14 and that he lives in a stall near the Coronation Market in downtown Kingston.

Tonight he is in New Kingston, roaming Knutsford Boulevard , begging almost everyone he sees money to buy food.

Natty-haired with something looking like a sore on one side of his face, close to his mouth, this boy identifies himself as Ricardo Allen.

Truth be told, I almost walked past him. I asked him a battery of questions all at once: What is his name? Why was he on the streets? Where are his parents and what was he going to do with the money he begged?

He surprised me by not walking off. Instead, he responds to the questions and at every pause, uses the word "sir".

Ricardo cannot read or write. I gave him pen and paper to write his name. He could not, but I sensed his potential to learn.

Bad company

The boy says he was a student at the Denham Town Primary School but was sent to a place of safety two years ago "fi follow bad company".

"Is mi cousin dem mi did a follow and nah go a school and mi madda sen mi deh (the place of safety)," the boy says.

He adds that he escaped from the home because we was often beaten up by older boys there.

"Sometime dem use fire and burn mi when mi a sleep," he says.

Like many street boys, he says he begs to buy food and clothes. He purchases his wares in what he calls "ray-ray" market in downtown Kingston and his meals - valued at $40 - at a restaurant in downtown Kingston.

After more than an hour of chatting with the youngster another street person appeared. He says he is 22 and that he has graduated to washing cars.

"Mi nuh beg nuh more, but mi nuh waan wash car all mi life," he says before leaving.

Hunger

It is 11:34 p.m. Ricardo says he has eaten only once for the day. I was moved to open my wallet for some money but hesitated a while, but too long, for the hungry boy.

A security guard appears with food in a box.

"Weh di man deh weh did a wash di car dem?" he inquires.

Ricardo provides him with an answer that tells the security guard that he too is hungry.

"Share it! Mek sure yuh gi him some," the guard says and hands him the box with the food.

Ricardo takes the box. "Thanks," he says and rushes across the street to find the man to share the food with.

He soon disappears into a patch of darkness.

I may have waited for more than half-hour for him to return but he did not.

There are government policies to help street children.

One such programme, the Possibility Programme, is aimed at removing boys from the streets and equipping them with life skills.

Reports from this programme indicate it is going well, but when one looks closely at the number of beggar boys and windshield wipers walking around, it suggests there is still a far way to go.

Send comments on this story to: daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com