High suicide rate in Region 6 worries authorities

Five persons within the Black Bush Polder, Berbice area attempted to take their own lives over the past week. This figure may be alarming to many, but residents who live within the four polders that make up Black Bush are not alarmed. Hardly a week goes by without people there hearing about someone who attempted to take his or her life.
In a recent survey conducted in the Black Bush Polder area, 20 per cent of residents interviewed admitted to having thought of suicide at some point in their lives. Of these persons, 19 per cent said they thought about suicide only once; 43 per cent, rarely; 14 per cent, a long time ago; and 24 per cent, when they were overwhelmed.

The release of the findings of this survey coincided with World Suicide Prevention Day, which was observed on Monday. This year, it was observed under the theme “Suicide Prevention across the Globe: Strengthening Protective Factors and Instilling Hope”.
In Black Bush Polder, the Mibicuri Community Developers (MCD) held a rally at the Black Bush Secondary School, Mibicuri, East Berbice-Corentyne to heighten awareness on Monday.
Peace Corps MCD Response Volunteer Michael Fallahay in giving an overview of the current situation said the organisation has been in the forefront of efforts to provide awareness and develop strategies to combat suicide.
“Part of our study involved a community survey where we went house-to-house in Mibicuri North and South asking what people thought about suicide and other problems related to suicide. We asked one person in each of 101 household questions including who, how, why a family member or friend or neighbour in Black Bush had attempted or died from suicide.”
The Peace Corp volunteer then released a report titled “Suicide in Black Bush Polder”. According to Fallahay, people of East Indian descent in Guyana, especially in farming areas, are more likely to attempt suicide. Eighty-one per cent of suicides in Guyana are Indo-Guyanese, who comprise 44 per cent of the country’s population. Fallahay said based on the survey, no one acknowledged HIV/ AIDS in their households or any resident smoking marijuana.
“In 62 per cent of these homes, a total of 78 persons drink alcohol, of which 29 per cent of respondents identified someone in their household, all males, as currently having a drinking problem. Consumption of rum predominated… Where substance abuse was mentioned, the primary identified effect on the family was fighting or wife-beating, secondarily financial or work problems. A resident smokes tobacco in 30 per cent of the homes.”
He said that suicide is so prevalent in Black Bush Polder that 95 per cent of residents have family members who died of suicide. Drug abuse is also a major issue which results in suicide. Domestic violence is another problem which sometimes leads to suicide, he noted.
“Some talked with the suicide attempter afterwards. As anticipated, feelings afterward varied: 58 per cent reported feeling sad, sorry or hurt; 28 per cent were shocked; 13 per cent scared and confused, while 10 per cent were embarrassed or ashamed.”
Fallahay added that when some were asked whether they felt guilty, “35 per cent replied affirmatively, with a range of reasons from judging they could have prevented it to feeling helpless.”
Region Six Chairman David Armogan, in brief remarks at the forum in observance of World Suicide Prevention Day, noted that Guyana suffers from loss of its human resources, since the leading cause of death within the age 15-24 group is suicide.
“Not accidents and diseases, but suicide. Suicide is not something that should happen.” According to Armogan, Region Six has 16 per cent of the country’s population, but records 33 per cent of suicide deaths in the country. “This is not the area we want the region to be leading in; we should be leading in economic development; we should be leading in the field of sport; we should be leading in entertainment…”
The chairman called this a disgrace to the region. “… therefore, all of us have a role to play to ensure that we reduce… [and] prevent acts of suicide in our community,” Armogan concluded.
Fallahay said only by honestly acknowledging the dangers and reasons for suicide and its societal impacts can a society change and take effective steps to minimise these risks and maximise protective factors against suicide. He added that in all cultures around world, if humanity is going to continue to progress and suicide be prevented, a holistic life-affirming spirituality must permeate all aspects of life and culture. “We are all sisters and brothers together in this struggle to prevent suicide and to promote life.” He said.