Welcome to RedwallNews the show that is more durable than Nestle’s paper straws.
More and more I’m beginning to expect less and less from politicians in Trinidad and Tobago.
Before we talk about the Prime Minister, The SOE and St Ann’s let’s talk about safe zones and what it means to be fully vaccinated. A safe zone is a space for fully vaccinated customers. For example bars, casinos, gyms and cinemas.
If you live past Grand Bazaar, pay attention. Over the weekend, police fined three different bars and casinos over $100,00 in South Trinidad for breaching protocols.
According to the Ministry of Health, A fully vaccinated individual is one who has received the required number of doses of a WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccine and two weeks have passed since the final recommended vaccine dose was received.
So if you doctor gave you ivermectin and a prescription for bush medicine you aren’t fully vaccinated.
One shot of sinopharm doesn’t entitle you to one shot of white oak by the rumshop.
Two shots of Astrazeneca doesn’t entitle you to two shots of Puncheon the very next day because fourteen days haven’t passed.
The SOE in Trinidad and Tobago was supposed on November 30th. The prime minister announced that The SOE in Trinidad and Tobago ends on November 17th as the SOE had achieved its objective. What exactly were those objectives? Great question. Back in August the PM defended the 9 to 5 curfew saying it was necessary to facilitate a vaccination drive and reduce movement and congregating that could trigger a third wave of the COVID-19 virus. Given a growing number of Covid-19 cases and deaths, to say that the SOE had achieved its objective makes as much sense as the prime minister boasting about how well he could drive a golf cart.
So it begs the question why end the SOE early? And in my opinion this decision all boils down to politics. Here’s the thing. If the government wanted to extend the SOE the move would have required opposition support, and the opposition made it clear that they didn’t support an extension. Religious leaders don’t support it, perhaps because virtual confession and collection never caught on in Trinidad.
So, ending the SOE early is actually a slap in the face for the opposition, religious leaders and perhaps the population. Politically it’s a brilliant move. Can you imagine the prime minister and Stuart Little sitting plotting the move. Faris is there, slim and trim, looking dapper as usual, with those thick eyebrows like Biff from sesame street.
The opposition would never expect us to life the SOE early.
Brilliant move, Sir, Brilliant.
Can you imagine the Prime Minster and the Attorney General talking?
“Do you think I’m doing a good job steering the country, Faris?”
“Sir, I trust you to steer anything… except a golf cart.”
Oh and just in case you don’t know what SOE stands for, an SOE is a female pig.
In Mayaro police arrested six men who owe over $350,000 in child maintenance. How much children them have? That’s years in maintenance. Bear in mind that if a respondent doesn’t pay child support police can come for you after a month.
Now, every week on this show we’re going to be giving away a pest of the week award. Up until a week ago, The biggest pests in Trinidad were customs officers, but they’ve been now moved from first to second place. Maxi drivers are fourth. This week, the pest of the week award goes to the folks in the scrap iron industry. Allyuh take the cake. Allyuh thiefing anything: barricades, telephone wires, menhole covers, . Homeowners around the country have suffered losses. Recently someone stole church bell. It’s gotten so bad that the governnment has threatened to shut down the industry. To which, the association responded (and this is important) that it wouldn’t be hard to identify errant dealers. Come on! That is the equivalent of a neighbourhood where everybody except the police knows who the drug pushers are. Anyway, I just want to take this time to present the scrap iron industry with the pest of the week award. It’s made out of wood.
Years ago, we had EmailGate. Now we have GOATGATE. Is the prime minister working for two salaries? The UNC is considering writing the Integrity Commission over a goat and sheeps farm that the prime minister owns in Tobago. Meh!
Talking about goats. Tomorrow Machel Montano will receive the keys to Port of Spain. Since 2020 they’ve wanted to present him with the award but the event keep getting jumbie. I guess he’ll be the happiest man alive. one more time. Can you imagine, Machel, Tomrrow will be E.P.I.C. Huih.
Some people think that Talking about suicide is a bad idea and can be interpreted as encouragement. Yeah. For some people, talking about suicide is like talking about sex education, teenage pregnancy or colm imbert. They rather not. But we need to Talk. Not about Colm Imbert. About suicide.
Because factors like depression and mental health issues are real. And suicides can be prevented.
Growing up I thought someone had to be crazy or stupid to kill themselves. I thought people who attempted suicide were looking for attention. I thought only men killed themselves. Indian men. If an African man did it there was only one explaination: he had Indian in him. I thought people who drank Gramaxone did it because they had grass in their belly.
Then I grew up. And Life was suddenly more challenging.
On two occasions I’ve thought about suicide. Once in 2010. And once in… Kim, what year we get married again?
In Trinidad, suicide and attempted suicide are criminal offences. So is murder. And naked children. And washing cars in public. And smoking weed. But that isn’t stopping anyone.
The intentional killing of oneself is evidence of two things. personal breakdown and the deterioration of the society. Suicide is more likely to occur during periods of crisis. Because of this suicide is used as an indicator of the mental health status of a population.
In the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago has the third highest suicide rate. Guyana, the land of chicken curry, is first on the list.
In 2018, when it came to suicide, Trinidad ranked 36th highest nation in the world. 14.6 suicides for every 100,000 people.
A deteriorated society puts people at risk of increased suicide. Pause for a second and consider Trinidad.
There’s violence, divorce, bullying, health problems, teenage pregnancy, inappropriate media reporting, the harmful use of alcohol, financial problems, depression, horn, poor SEA results..
Between 2005 and 2012, approximately 727 people officially died by suicide. That’s roughly 100 people every year.
One research paper lists 667 victims of suicide from 2013 to 2016. For every suicide, 20 attempts have been made.
Every year, at each regional health authority in Trinidad and Tobago, there are 1,000 admissions related to self-harm or suicide.
In Trinidad (and Tobago) there 5 regional health authorities. So that’s 5,000 self-harm and suicide-related admissions.
Suicide does not have one particular cause. And it doesn’t affect one particular race. It’s an individual thing.
There are warning signs you should know. The warning signs fall into three categories: Physical, Conversational and Behavioural such as:
Disinterest in appearance, uncontrolled anger, frequent conversations about death and suicide, self-harming, the desire for revenge, acting reckless or engaging in risky activities – seemingly without thinking, feeling trapped , increased alcohol or drug use, anxiety, agitation, insomnia.
If someone is talking about being dead, or how much their own death would make people happy there’s a high probability that person is contemplating suicide.
Extreme moods swings
If someone goes from depressed to suddenly ok or happy that could be a indication that the person has found a solution in suicide.
Suicide doesn’t discriminate by age, gender or geographic location.
In 2007, a global school survey revealed that 21% of females and 14% of males had seriously considered suicide.17% had a definite plan.
Of the 667 suicides from 2013 to 2016:
79% of the victims were male.
Based on the same research, Indians or Indo-Trinidadians are more likely to commit suicide. They accounted for 65% of victims. That doesn’t mean that Afro-Trinidadians are safe. Afro-Trinidadians are three more times likely to be killed in a homicide.
34 % of the deaths occurred in South West Trinidad.
Let’s talk about Gramaxone, or according to some Trinis “Gramoxone”.
From 2013 to 2016, More than 70 percent of suicides were due to drinking pesticides or other poisons.
Globally the World Health Organisation has talked about safer access to pesticides and weedicides like Gramaxone. Safer access can reduce impulsive suicides.
Locally, experts have called for stronger regulation or an outright ban. A 1997 study showed that of 105 deaths almost 80 per cent of deaths were due to paraquat or Gramoxone.
Which makes sense because, In Trinidad, buying poison it as easy as buying rope
In 2018, the question of banning gramaxone came up in Parliament.
The question is, though, if poisons are banned would suicides decrease? Because in recent times suicide by hanging and the use of firearms have increased. Certainly banning the sale of rope isn’t feasible
Media Houses also have an important role when reporting suicide. Because research links media coverage of suicide and increases in suicidal behaviour. copycat suicides are a real thing. On the Ministry of Health’s website journalists can find 11 best practices for responsible suicide reporting.
For example:
describing details about the method or location are a no-no.
So is including words, photographs or videos that may be painful to loved ones.
Never say a method is quick, easy, painless or certain to result in death.
Avoid referring to a person as suicidal or mentally ill
Above all, end with a message of hope.
The scary thing is that all the media houses in Trinidad and Tobago at one time or another, are guilty of irresponsible reporting.
When it comes to suicide, the answers do not lie exclusively with the government or media houses.
You and I also have an important role. To look out for one another. To ask a question if you recognise worrisome physical, conversational and behavioural signs in a loved one or a co-worker or a stranger.
Ask. And listen. Because listening saves lives.
Let the person contemplating suicide talk.
Be patient.
Don’t be judgemental.
Put down your phone.
Do not argue with a person contemplating suicide. Avoid saying things like:
you have so much to live for;
look on the bright side;
Great is the PNM.
If you’re having dark thoughts and feel all alone, services like Lifeline can help. Lifeline is a confidential service that befriends the despairing and suicidal. They listen 24 hours, every day. (Wow a service that listens 24/7. My wife will love that.)
If you need help, call 800-5588, 231-2824. 220-3636. If your don’t have any money in your phone, that’s okay. The service is free.
About Lifeline
Lifeline’s main aim is to be available 24 hours every day to people passing through a crisis and in imminent danger of taking their own life.
This requires funding. Lifeline earns no money and generally their work is the last and least funded because it concentrates on perpetrators of violence.
If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer or donating to the work they do please visit their website at lifelinett.com.