Let’s help, not castblame and condemn

THE EDITOR: Minister of Social Development and Family Services, Cherrie-Ann Crichlow-Cockburn, told reporters that Government had severed ties with the Transformed Life Ministry rehabilitation centre in 2015 after concerns over the conditions there were raised. She said reports were made to the Division of Ageing and investigations were done.

Severing ties, to my mind, is a very good strong-arm method of pushing the home to become compliant. It did not end there.

Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh said a team from the ministry – including the county medical health officer, the Division of Ageing (which falls under Crichlow-Cockburn) – and three officers from the Arouca Police Station went to the centre on June 21 but the medical officer determined what was happening there was more psychiatric in nature.

On July 1, ministry officials returned and outlined several infrastructural, practical and administrative flaws with the institution. Deyalsingh said the flaws were being addressed, and this was evidenced by the institution putting out ads for psychiatric nurses up to two weeks ago.

Examine the timeline between these occurrences, particularly in 2019, and the start of the so-called investigative inquiries, two months ago.

How could it be then said that the ministers are culpable in this matter? A process was being followed. Yes, the conditions at the facility are less than ideal. Yes, the facility’s management is ill-equipped for the nature and magnitude of the task, more so in terms of professional medical assistance.

But people are free to seek assistance for their loved ones wherever they feel comfortable. Lucky for those who get quick admittance to St Ann’s Hospital but my understanding is that the process to be admitted there is not normally such a “walk-in.”

How many of us would even entertain a conversation with a mentally challenged person? Even the police shoot to kill when confronted by mentally challenged people. The pastor should be wise enough to know where to draw the line.

Our homes are barricaded to keep them out. What is the crime with barricading them in? Have we already forgotten the 2018 incident where a mentally ill woman chopped six people at a facility in Santa Cruz?

I would never forget the murder in Valsayn several years ago where a man killed his wife in the presence of the police. He was cool, calm but calculating, shutting the bedroom door with his wife inside and chopping her mercilessly. The police were left with their jaws dropped. He had a mental breakdown upon the separation.

We are not to be afraid or shun the mentally ill but we ought not to throw caution to the wind in dealing with mental illness.

Let the healing begin. The pastor filled a gap that would never close. Let us not condemn him to death but instead help him to get it together so the institution can evolve to do the much needed service he is offering. We are volunteers in every area of need, but what about the mentally challenged? Let’s see the hands.

ANN MARIE DAVIDSON

San Fernando