THE Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) will today roll out its first phase of social resilience training among its health-related staff.

In its bid to cushion the effects being felt by retrenched sugar workers, GuySuCo has gathered its health personnel to be trained in areas dealing with suicide, alcoholism and mental health in related communities. GuySuCo’s spokeswoman, Audreyanna Thomas told the Guyana Chronicle on Monday that the GuySuCo staffers to be trained will include doctors, nurses, and counselors, among others.

The mental health department of the Ministry of Public Health will be conducting the four-day seminar that will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. This training, Thomas continued, will be based on the internationally designed guidebook provided by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP).

According to Thomas, GuySuCo has recognised social problems that already exist in some identified communities and intends to bring as much relief as possible. “Apart from the business and economic plans that we have begun, we understand the need to address the social aspect of their (retrenched sugar workers) lives,” Thomas said. She continued that the sugar company recognizes also that some social problems already exist and the changes being made by GuySuCo to downsize could escalate the situation.

As a result, GuySuCo will at a later date commence training with teachers, community leaders, religious leaders and other prominent community members to aid in the transition process. “Our social resilience programme is geared toward providing counselling and advice, while assisting workers to adapt with the transitioning.”

GuySuCo has rolled out an elaborate plan for retrenched sugar workers. It has basically three main parts that deal with economic, social and environmental resilience. With regard to the social aspect, Rose Hall and Skeldon will receive the first set of training while Enmore and Wales estate staffers will commence on the 17th and 18th respectively.

GuySuCo is thinking ahead with regard to anticipated problems, while building capacity at the same time, Thomas noted. She said that while GuySuCo must transform its operation for its own survival, consideration must and is being given with regard to the social impact being faced by ex- workers.

She said when this aspect of training is over, another programme that deals specifically with men’s health will be rolled out as the majority of the sugar workers laid off are males. In 2012, a WHO report indicated that Guyana had a suicide rate of 44.2 per 100,000 people, and that for every single female suicide, there were 3.2 male suicides.

At one point, the Berbice region had earned the title of being the country’s suicide belt with a high incidence of alcohol abuse. For these specific social issues, Thomas said a more in-depth programme will be hosted to earnestly deal with the issues of alcoholism and suicide.