De dakloze Ier... Stuck in Paramaribo, Suriname, South-America

Sinds een paar weken is hij een van de gezichten op straat en hij valt op. Waarom? Hij is blank, dakloos en in Paramaribo. Natuurlijk werd mijn nieuwsgierigheid  meteen geprikkeld toen ik hem de eerste keer zag. Toen ik hem zag staan in de rij voor een gratis maaltijd bij de SIV(ivm het suikerfeest) ben ik een praatje gaan maken.

He told me his name was Alphonsus Leddy and he is from Ireland. In december last year he was released from prison. He had spend a year there because he was caught with cocaine on Zanderij/Johan Adolf Pengel Airport. When they released him he was just thrown on the streets, no place to go, no money, not a clue of our language. 

He says he needs about 1000 USD for a ticket home but neither he or his family has the money. He even went to different embassy's for help, but that didn't work out. And it is difficult for him being on the streets. "I heard people talking, asking themselves what i was doing in line for a free meal. That i wasn't from here and had no right."

I told him not to bother about that. Maybe, they were just confused because he was European, people or not used to this. But there also was another Indian guy, Peter Tjin from Apoera, who was helping him. "I feel sorry for him. It's more dangerous for him living on the streets than it is for locals." Alphonsus felt the same way, so did I.

It worried me when he said that the only option he saw was 'doing crime again'. Peter and I said at the same time: "No, don't do crime again. Be patient, please." I can imagine. He just wants to go home, shower and wear clean clothes. Another thing is it will be his birthday next month and he will turn fifty...

As soon as i could go on the internet, I googled his name and found a post on Facebook from a girl who was looking for her dad.

She hadn't seen her dad since she was four years old. His name was also Alphonsus Leddy, and he as well as this girl, Trice Hennesy, are from Ireland.... And Alphonsus told me that he also has been living on the streets in London. it might be he left Ireland when this girl was young.... That's why i decided to write this blog in English.. who knows..

This post was from July 2013 so i think he might not have seen it because at that time he would have been in prison.

Het doet wel wat met je, zo een verhaal. Maar er is zoveel leed, en het een raakt je meer dan een ander, dat roept weer schuldgevoelens op... gewoon helpen waar je kan, denk ik... 
An Irishman in Ne... Paramaribo....