In response to the country’s high suicide rate, the Guyana Police Force will later this month launch suicide helplines, Commis-sioner of Police Seelall Persaud announced on Wednesday.
Persaud made the announcement during the force’s award ceremony and he informed that the ministries of Cohesion and Health as well as faith-based organisations will play roles in the initiative.
Addressing the ranks who were gathered at the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) Drill Square, Persaud pointed out that the suicide rates every year are almost similar to murder and fatal accidents rates. “Therefore, it is a huge problem.
Unfortunately, it is not being treated with in the same way as we treat murders and fatal accidents,” he added.
According to Persaud, the initiative would entail the creation of telephone hotlines that will be monitored by police ranks who would be trained to interact with persons seeking help. At the same time, he said a police station in the district from which the call originates will be activated. “They go pick up a counsellor, either from the Ministry of Social Cohesion or a member of the faith-based organisation and take them to the location, let them take over the cases and the process,” he added.
Persaud said too that the counsellors will work with those persons in need of help until “they are ready to engage society again.” He noted too that the force would have had the input of doctors providing training to the pastors and police ranks who will be involved in the project. He stressed that even if one life is saved the force would be left feeling as though something has been achieved.
Persaud also revealed that he has been having discussions with Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan regarding legislation to control access to pesticides and weedicides which are the largest “means by which people commit suicide.” He stressed that it will be a combination of factors that will be addressed with the initiative.
Last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) named Guyana as the country with the highest estimated suicide rate in the world for 2012.
The country’s ranking as having the highest suicide rate in the world was also examined during the 60th Caribbean Public Health Agency Research Conference in Grenada last month.
During the recent general elections campaign, the APNU+AFC coalition had promised to implement strategies to combat suicide, with special focus on Berbice, where it has been found to be most prevalent.
A study of underlying economic and social factors driving the high prevalence of suicide and suicidal behaviour in Guyana, which was conducted by researcher Serena Coultress, found that the problem is linked to poor coping skills and a cycle of violence that includes murder-suicide, interpersonal violence, corporal punishment and child sexual abuse.
