CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Thursday March 17, 2016 – Noting the recent spate of suicides, government has expressed concern about the emotional and mental state of St. Lucians.
And it says it plans to intensify its engagement with civil society to find solutions to the rising incidence of people taking their own lives.
“We have to identify persons who are in distress in our community, we have to reach out and touch them and, somehow, see whether we can offer them the opportunity to share their pain, their anger, their distress, and dissuade them from taking that tragic solution,” Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony said.
Citizens have also been urged to utilize the National Health Service helpline.
Earlier this year, the St Lucia Crisis Centre appealed to citizens, particularly young people, who were experiencing problems to “talk to somebody”.
The centre’s managing director, Norma La Borde encouraged anyone who sees signs of depression or suicidal tendencies in friends or family members to speak up.
“If you see something, if you hear someone talking about taking their life, come to us, go to a friend, go to a pastor, go to your church, but you need to do something because we are losing our young people,” she said.