Dear Editor
The SN editorial on 28 July, 2022 about “Suicide Prevention” raises some valid points for discussion about the Government’s Suicide Prevention Bill. Advocates have long asked the Government and Parliament to decriminalise suicide as a way to address suicide prevention holistically. All that was needed was the Parliament to decolonise itself and pass a bill to repeal Sections 95 and 96 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act and Section 202 of the Summary Jurisdictions (Offences) Act. The last section of the Suicide Prevention Bill does this.
For some strange reason, the Government has tabled a bill to introduce the bureaucracy of a ‘National Suicide Prevention Commission’ and other puzzling elements. Guyana has experience of spectacular failures where there are many Commissions, Boards, Authorities, and Task Forces which were established in law with good intentions, but for many political and probably practical reasons, do not exist or function. The National Task Force for the Prevention of Sexual Violence, as mandated by the Sexual Offences Act of 2020, has never functioned. Why does the Government want another Commission? It is even more puzzling that the Government seeks representation from the Guyana Bar Association and the Private Sector Commission. Neither of those two bodies have been public or active in any advocacy or provision of support for suicide prevention in Guyana.
It seems the Ministry of Health has ignored the many non-governmental organisations and community groups throughout Guyana who have been trying to assist, as best as they can, to provide counselling and other support. The SN editorial noted that the LGBTIQ+ community has a high rate of suicide. The data in Guyana – such as it exists- also suggests that there is a high disproportionate rate of suicide among Indo-Guyanese. If the Government wants a representative commission, then it should also include organisations which deals with the mental well-being of Indo-Guyanese. Why can’t the Government go ahead and convene the participatory and representative groups to deal with suicide prevention? Doesn’t the Minister of Health already have the ability to convene advisory bodies and task forces which can be resourced, using existing legislation? Instead of a ‘National’ Commission, wouldn’t it be better to have some Regional and more local groups especially in areas where there are high rates of suicide and attempted suicide which could then take into account local dynamics and factors?
The Suicide Prevention Bill talks about ‘suicide prevention centres’ and a suicide prevention plan. Doesn’t the Ministry of Health already have a mandate to establish health centres which should provide free quality medical attention? Why can’t these places provide counselling and other therapeutic services? Why not do an honest review of the existing policies and implementation and find out what can be done to improve the delivery of mental health and wellbeing services throughout Guyana? The Government had previously done a plan, surely it can do another one, which might be more short term than five years and speak to immediate actions which can be monitored? And if the Government wants a commission, maybe the PNC and PPP might join together and agree, as other communities around the world are doing, to a Health and Well-being Commission which looks at not only the prevention of suicide, but also the prevention of the other self-destructive behaviours, such as alcohol use and destruction of the environment, which exist in Guyana.
Sincerely
Vidyaratha Kissoon
