IN response to a letter captioned “An open letter to the Human Services Minister”, published in the August 18th edition of the Guyana Times, I wish to commend the writers on their proposed response to our growing problem of suicide, which is indeed a troubling one and a concern which we share.

The Human Services Ministry has been involved in a number of initiatives aimed at addressing the issue of suicide prevention, and is not averse to extending its support to other initiatives aimed at achieving the same objectives.

It is heartening to see renewed interest in the prevention of this social ill, which has plagued our society. The Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security has long recognised the need for partnerships and extended networks to advocate suicide prevention.

In February this year, the HS Ministry partnered with the New Jersey Arya Samaj Humanitarian Mission and several local entities, including the ministries of Education and Health, the Regional Democratic Council of Region 6, and some private businesses, to begin a new awareness and education project aimed at preventing suicide.

This event was well attended by leaders and members of faith-based organisations, with more than 300 students from secondary schools along the Corentyne Coast and members of civil society in attendance. They were enlightened by presentations made by a number of specialists, including Psychiatrist Dr. Bhiro Harry, business leaders, and Dr. Sharma of the Regional Health Authority.
First Lady, Deolatchmee Ramotar and I have also addressed this issue, and we sought to identify some of the root causes and how these issues should be addressed.

Let me reassure the writers of Government’s commitment and growing concern for this issue.

The presentations were followed by an interactive session, and informative suggestions/
presentations emerged, which serve as guidance for continued work in this area. Many of the resource persons engaged at this forum have since continued the work in various areas.

Similarly, the Government of Guyana was engaged in an effort to train about 600 members of faith-based organizations, to prevent and care for, counsel and support persons affected by social ills, including suicide.

I wish to mention that the HS Ministry also works closely in collaboration with a number of NGOs, and through its Probation Officers, a core group of professionals who are assigned to the ten administrative regions, the HS Ministry has expanded its network to conduct public education and sensitisation awareness activities on this issue, as well as the issue of gender-based violence. Their interaction allows for all levels of contact, from the grassroots level to all levels in society.

During a countrywide campaign against gender-based violence, the HS Ministry, through its Women’s Affairs Bureau and Men’s Affairs Bureau, addressed the issue of suicide, especially with the children in schools. This issue was also dealt with among men in their own groupings, and among young girls. The Ministry is also supporting a suicide prevention committee working in Corentyne with various groups.

Last year, the Ministry began efforts to address this issue in the work place, and held sessions with employers and employees at their places of work, including at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, the Guyana Business Coalition on HIV, and staff at the Skeldon Sugar Estate.

These are just some of the efforts undertaken to address the issue of suicide. However, I wish to highlight the fact that the Probation and Social Services Officers of the HS Ministry address these issues on a smaller scale on a daily basis, as they continue their work in communities, homes, the prisons, orphanages, homes for the elderly, religious groups, and wherever else their work might take them as servants of the people.

These are by no means sufficient, as suicide continues to occur in Guyana. Hence, the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security again wishes to reiterate its call for greater partnerships to boost its capacity to better address the issue of suicide prevention in Guyana.

With respect to the issues raised regarding ‘attitudes towards mental health issues to combat the taboos, misinformation, biases’, I wish to assure the ‘writers’ that the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, and the Ministry of Health has developed a Mental Health Strategy which will be formally launched by October 10th, 2014, in observance of World Mental Health Day.

The Ministry of Health has also conducted training sessions in areas of depression and suicide for 250 persons, with the support of an international psychologist – Dr. Doorn.

We also thank Caribbean Voice for its interest and efforts in this regard, and would like to extend an invitation for them to meet and interact with some of the Ministry’s managers, to share our experiences and to learn more about your efforts, as we seek ways of collaborating and improving the services we provide to the Guyanese people.
We remain supporting initiatives aimed at reducing this abhorrent trend in our society.

HON. MS. JENNIFER WEBSTER MP
Minister of Human Services & Social Security