The Minister’s statements follow rumours that the recent perpetrator of a brutal killing on September 8th, 2023, was of unsound mind. While the rumours remain unconfirmed, Henry laments mental health and wellness are not taken as seriously as they need to. Concerted efforts, he says, are being undertaken to address mental health. One major issue he highlighted is the reluctance of men to seek the help they need. This, he says, needs to change.
“[Mental health] has been a situation that has been with us for a very long time, as well as the issue of mental illness. It’s something that, as a nation, we haven’t taken seriously,” the Equity Minister noted. “A lot of us are going through depression but we will not go and visit the professionals. I would be grieving and would need to speak to somebody who specialises in terms of mental health. But that is not something we men like to do. In fact, I’ve heard of young men being at the Boys Training Centre and they’re not of good mental health,” he adds.
Public perception of BTC wards has been soured following the killing of 78-year-old Marcellina Alexis on January 27th, 2023. By February 10th, 2023, a 15-year-old ward of the Centre was charged for the woman’s death. Since then, issues like mental wellness for wards of the centre, as well as affected families, have been at the forefront of BTC discussions. Instances like these, Henry says, show just how serious mental wellness is for the country.
“So, the issue of mental wellness is not something we’ve come to address as a country just yet. It is not something that we should take lightly. It’s not something that we can take care of just like that, there is a process,” he explained.
The Minister adds that the government continues to engage professionals as they are better able to handle the complex nature of mental health. “There are different methods the mental wellness professionals are using, like community therapy. So instead of incarcerating persons who are mentally challenged, it is believed that those persons should be in the community. But there are also situations where these people need to be secured to protect themselves and others, so it’s best left up to the professionals. As a government, we are discussing these issues because they are quite complex.”
September is regarded as suicide awareness month worldwide. This is when mental health is at its most discussed as people are reminded of the many reasons to stay alive. The Ministry of Health and Wellness has planned a series of ‘Family Fun Days’ for families and communities across the island.