Abject poverty is now affecting 30 percent of Bermuda?s black families and leaving many without the opportunity to earn a living wage or escape from the cycle of homelessness.

That is the warning of Sheelagh Cooper, chairman of the Coalition for the Protection of Children, who said a survey being conducted by the group has revealed the startling number of black Bermudian families living below the poverty line.

?That?s reflected in the instability of family life for children in this community and there has not been a serious effort by the Government to address that,? she said.

?This Government came to power based on a commitment to the working poor to level the playing field for those that need assistance and we have not seen any evidence of that. The Social Agenda is non-existent as far as I can tell.?

She said the downturn in tourism had been devastating on the lives of people who could once have made a living wage in the industry. And many local employers have been allowed to pay substandard wages and import workers willing to accept such wages for lowly jobs that no Bermudian would be able to live on, she said.

?These are jobs that Bermudians would do if they were paid a living wage. As long as Bermudian local employers are allowed to pay substandard wages and bring in workers there will be no trickle-down in the economy. Bermudians are being locked out of the unskilled labour market.?

To illustrate some of the hardships being faced, two young Bermudian mums living at the Southside emergency housing complex have spoken of how ?the system? which should be helping them get back on their feet instead seems to force them further into hardship.

Mum-of-four Dawn Hamilton has been at the shelter for around a year-and-a half and is currently free from rent arrears, therefore should be in a prime position to be offered a place of her own.

But she has not been offered an apartment or home to take her three youngest children, all aged two or under, despite fulfilling requirements making her eligible for Bermuda Housing Corporation accommodation.

With expenses such as clothing, feeding and paying nursery fees for her three youngest, while trying to find work at the same time, Mrs. Hamilton?s financial situation is weakening and she fears she could soon slip into arrears and become ineligible for BHC accommodation.

That?s what happened when she briefly went into arrears last year. On that occasion some accommodation became available but as she was momentarily behind in her $845-a-month rent at the Southside complex BHC rules meant she could not take up the offer.

Now she is free from arrears there is nothing available for her.

?Housing is meant to help us but they always wait until you are in arrears and then they can?t help you,? she said.

?The system is set up to make you fail. They have not offered me or my husband anything. They know my situation, that I have children and a husband and need a home. I don?t need to be up in Southside. It is a mental strain.?

Husbands and partners are not allowed to stay at Southside, so her husband is staying with his boss. However, he will soon have to move out as the house is being sold, presenting further uncertainty for the family?s financial future.

If only a small apartment could be found the family could be reunited and reduce living costs and expenses by sharing resources, said Mrs. Hamilton.

Another Southside resident, who wished not to be named, has been at the facility for almost a year and has two of her five children staying with her.

She has a day job and a night job to pay her expenses, which include $145-a-month nursery fees for each of the children, mini bus fees, food and laundry and $810 rent.

However, she has two rooms at Southside and wants to be able to bring her mother in so that she can help with looking after the children and reduce some of her costs and clear three months? rent arrears. She claims Housing Minister Lt. Col. David Burch was amenable to the suggestion only for the BHC to decide it could not bend its rules. And she has been warned that if she continues her night job her children may be taken into foster care.

She is critical of the fact there appears to be no link-up between the different agencies, such as the BHC, Social Services and Financial Assistance to affect a flexible solution.

And she said: ?I joined the march on Cabinet last year and the Premier came out with the then Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent and told us to put our names on a list there because there would be 20 homes by October. My name was third on the list but there is nothing.? has been seeking a response from the BHC about the issues raised by the two Southside residents.