Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from around the country are emphasising the need for stricter laws and better implementation of the current laws governing the sale and consumption of alcohol.
A number of NGOs gathered at the Cara Lodge last Friday for a one-day conference to discuss suicide and related issues. The conference was organised by The Caribbean Voice, an NGO focused largely on suicide and operating under the premise that suicide prevention is everybody’s business.
During the conference, attendees were allowed to air their views and suggestions for discussion.
Alcohol and drug abuse along with domestic abuse were identified as the leading causes of suicide while the weaknesses and strengths in how Guyana has been tackling the issue over the years were highlighted.
During discussions, activists opined that the high occurrence of alcohol and drug use in Guyana correlated to how easily accessible these substances were to youths. They further highlighted the lack of the implementation of the laws that govern the sale of alcohol to underage persons.
“Any teen can go to almost any shop or store and purchase alcohol regardless of their age and that’s ludicrous. There’ a law that states you have to be 18 and over to be able to purchase but have you ever seen a store refuse these kids? No. It’s all about business and no one cares about the application of these laws,” an activist told Stabroek News on Friday. “There are major flaws in the law. I was in court once and someone who doesn’t stop because of a police car is [fined] more often than someone who was charged with drunk driving. Why is that even allowed?” he questioned.
The presentation also highlighted the major issues faced in Guyana in fighting alcoholism. Lack of recovery centres or extended treatment options, insufficient professional staff at current centres, and lack of secure funding within the Health Ministry for treatment of addicts were highlighted as the major weaknesses and issues organisations are faced with when it comes to fighting the addiction problem.
Some participants suggested solutions such as creating substance abuse-related education, assessment, intervention, and treatment and recovery services; partnering with NGOs and religious establishments to implement evidence-based prevention programmes that teach personal responsibility for one’s health; stricter laws for possession of drugs and drunk driving; and to maximise the use of social media and other outlets to educate the public, particularly those under the age of 18.
Meanwhile, participants emphasised the parents’ roles in their children’s lives.
“All of these things are connected in a circle; they don’t have a good relationship at home, so they go out and do bad things and sometimes the females suffer from teenage pregnancy and there we have a child with a child,” a teacher said.
“Why not try to fix the problem at the real root? The home. That’s where it all starts regardless of what you think,” they further explained, while stating that there should be parenting programmes set up to assist parents.
Additionally, the teachers noted that “idle minds attract idle thoughts” and suggested the development of community programmes to keep youths occupied.
In response to this suggestion, a pandit explained that the problem needed to be looked at holistically. He explained that while he often carries out community programmes for parents and children in his community, there has been a decline in participation over the years. He explain-ed that this decreased participation was largely due to increased lessons for school-aged youths. He said that family time is the most valued time, which children and teens need in their development.
The NGOs were positive at the end of the conference that they had worked out a concise and comprehensive report that would be later presented to the Ministry of Social Protection for consideration and possible implementation.
