In the wake of the suicide ‘epidemic’ in Guyana, Canadian football legend Alex Bunbury, is making a call on local football players to play their part in helping to spread the positive message about life.

Bunbury who is on the two-week stay in Guyana to kick-start his ‘Alex Bunbury Sports and Academics Academy’, said that he’s fully aware of the recent spread of suicide cases and attempts, and is planning to use his charity game next week, where all the proceeds will go towards agencies who are engaged in suicide prevention.

“Young people need to see people they look up too speaking up against it and trying to educate young people about not going into that direction and It’s about finding someone they can rely on to help them through the tough times, because usually it’s out of desperation” said the Plaisance native.

It’s been 40 years since the Canadian Hall-of-Fame inductee has returned to the land of his birth and in his exclusive interview with Chronicle Sport, Bunbury explained that he intends to lend a hand at not only football, but also issues that affects the lives of the ordinary Guyanese.

Guyana is considered to have one of the highest suicide rates in the world (per capita) and the former West Ham United forward said that he’s sadden by the fact that the country is losing its most valuable assets to suicide – youths.

“I’m seriously looking into it because it is an epidemic and it’s our young people who we’re losing by killing themselves” said the 48-year-old who is considered one of the best players to ever don the colours of ‘Les Rouges’.

Bunbury, in offering a word of advice to persons who is contemplating suicide as an answer to resolving an issue or problem they might be facing in life, said “you have to find someone you can believe in to get you through the tough times. I know it’s easier said than done but honestly, that’s the way out of this”.

Meanwhile, Bunbury will head to Linden today to conduct another clinic, after having successful done so in Berbice and Georgetown last week.

As it relates to the establishing of the ‘Alex Bunbury Sports and Academics Academy’, several of the football’s icon business partners are expected in Guyana today to hold talks with Government and several perspective sponsors over the next few days.

By Rawle Toney