There must be sunshine in people’s lives

Jan 25, 2016 Letters

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Dear Editor,
Another conference on domestic violence, another march in the fight against suicide, another building being promised for abused children, and another study to address some other social problem.
Trying to fight these social ills individually is a waste of time and money.  I am asking that the time and money should be spent to improve citizens’ capabilities to fight poverty and improve the citizens’ knowledge and skills needed to combat, and address mental health issues and avoid most bio-psychosocial problems.
I support a collective approach base on community development and the President’s link between poverty and mental health issues to bio-psychosocial issues.
The President a few months ago established a link between poverty and mental health to the bio-psychosocial issues. The millions of dollars spent on individual bio-psychosocial issues do not address the President’s observation.  It is my humble view that a collective approach will better address the President’s observation.
The government established that it is in the business of building communities. It was touted that communities will be much more than houses and roads.  The emphasis will be on making communities self sufficient and beneficial to its members.  This concept can be used as the catalyst to provide opportunities for citizens to improve their capabilities.
It is time for the Ministry of Communities to roll out their plans on making communities self sufficient.  The government is spending millions of dollars to build and repair the infrastructures in communities across the country. How much is being spent on improving the capabilities of the members of these communities, allowing them to participate in their communities’ development?
To be able to improve citizens capabilities the government should look into the following – establishing well organized community centers; enacting strong policies that will ensure that economic activities benefit the communities and not only individuals;  promote  independence by withholding handouts; and providing incentives. Encouraging the older adults to volunteer their time and skills to improve the capabilities of persons within their communities.
Making better use of social workers and other community based skilled workers to provide services to address the presenting bio psychosocial problems.
Community centers must become our training and information dissemination centers. Citizens will know about and be able to secure the skills needed to work on projects within their communities.  Large contracts provided by the government should include two clauses.
The contractors must train the locals to construct and maintain structures, and  no more than 40% of the workforce should come from outside of the communities where contracts are being implemented.
Community centers can be used to hold discussions on mental health and other social problems.  A well managed center should have social workers and other mental health officials to lead these discussions.  The mystery of these issues will be removed and members of the communities will have improved their capabilities to deal with mental health and bio-psychosocial issues. Dependency failed many communities in the past.  No more handouts. Government should use the handouts to put in place well managed centers, to employ social workers and other health workers to bring sunshine to lives and remove the mystery of the social ills.
Freddie referred to a village in Berbice where darkness and hopelessness are prevalent.  He noted that the village has a large number of suicides a year. Bringing sunshine to that village requires a community center, jobs along with knowledge and skills to combat  mental health and bio-psychosocial issues.
The President noted in a recent speech that in his opinion alcohol is not a cause of domestic violence. Many believe that alcohol is a cause of domestic violence.  Educating the citizens about domestic violence will remove that mystery and allow them to reject that explanation when provided by perpetrators of domestic violence.
We need to reach out to our seniors and get them to work with the not so visible youths to improve their capabilities. There are youths who are at home during the day and walk at nights because they are unhappy and lack the understanding of the issues surrounding their lives.
Young girls blackballing because they are afraid to face the world hence keeping their faces close to floor is their defense mechanism to hide their sadness and feeling of being unworthy. We can lift these people up by improving their capabilities to secure jobs and better address the mental health and other bio-psychosocial issues. .
The government often says these is a shortage of mental health professionals. Psychiatrists and psychologists are important but they are not in forefront in the fight against poverty, mental issues and the related psychosocial problems. Social workers and other mental health workers are the professional on the frontline. As a social worker I am upset that we are not being better used, protected and respected.  Yes, we can make a difference because we are available in all Regions of Guyana.
In many developed countries social workers are on the front line addressing poverty, mental health and other bio-psychosocial issues. A Master’s program at the University of Guyana will allow for specialization and increase knowledge needed for us to do a better job. I leave you with two thoughts.  Yes, you cannot force someone to improve themselves but you provide the opportunities they need to do so when they are ready.
This is a basic principle of the Harm Reduction theory/practice. Holland, England and other European countries used this approach to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS by providing services to drug abusers while having services available for those who want to end their drug addiction.  Also, you cannot have good youths and adults if you ignore the children in our primary schools.
The youths and adults who are not visible and are not celebrated have children in our primary schools that are displaying risky behaviors.  Identify these children and bring their parents to the community centers and work on improving their capabilities.
Clyde Zuntie Clarke   

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