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Healthcare in St. Lucia is at a critical crossroads, deeply affecting the lives of countless families. Take the story of … The post Breaking the Cycle: How National Health Insurance Can Save Lives and Secure St. Lucia’s Future appeared first on The Voice St. Lucia News.
Are the so called ghettos responsible for the current crime situation and the loss of so many young lives in this small country? Before that question can be answered there are quite a few areas that must be preliminarily explored, including how we misunderstand what the word ghetto originally meant. With the advent of African American culture seeping through the emerging rap music back in the 70s came the beginning of the over utilization of that word (ghetto) and what it would mean later for black lives. There is a credible theory that the infiltration of that word in black culture was orchestrated, but that is a discussion for another day. ‘Ghetto’ originally seems to have been a word used to describe a European settlement where individuals of low economic means were forced to dwell What has happened since the “infiltration” into the United States is akin to the glorification of those so-called ghettos in song and, through music, the lifestyle of some who actually live in those areas. It has been said time and time again that if the US sneezes the Caribbean gets a cold. No truer statement can be made as it relates to the transportation of ills to our shores. In large measure we have adopted the ghetto posture with magnificent ease, some believe, and this is widely responsible for the state of our small country as it relates to crime and the degradation of many of our social norms. Some may be tempted to push back on this thinking with the suggestion that our “ghettos” came into existence simply because of poverty. While that may be a factor, it is not the issue at hand. What is important is the evolution that has taken place over the last 20 years. It has been said that some of the individuals who live in the so-called ghettos are not so poor, making it a choice to be there. And what of the young individuals who live elsewhere but socialize there. Then we must answer this burning question – From where do the majority of young crime victims originate? The Royal St. Lucia Police Force {RSLPF} recently revealed the 2025 Serious Crime Analysis Report at a specially convened press conference at its headquarters. While the RSLPF information did not speak of specific communities it did address districts. Nationally, Castries and environs was the scene of approximately 50% of murders and approximately 50% of our murder victim were 20-30 years old. There can be quite a few takaways from these and other figures but for us one of the relevant takaways is that the ghetto lifestyle has now seemingly become immensely attractive and has unfortunately drawn a huge portion of our young citizens. The mentality that everything can come easy or through ill-gotten means is a mentality that has permeated our social structure and more so, especially the young. We rest with a simple summary that is irrefutable. Our citizens who are predominantly from certain communities are dying in wholly unacceptably large numbers through violent and, more specifically, gun related crimes while they are in their twenties.
As Chair of the CARICOM Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee on Climate Change and Climate Finance, Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre yesterday convened regional Heads of Government and climate partners for the Sub-Committee’s inaugural meeting, hosted from the Office of the Prime Minister, Saint Lucia. The high-level hybrid session brings together Heads of Government, Ministers, and the CARICOM Secretary-General, alongside distinguished guests Ms. Patricia Espinosa, Representative of the incoming COP30 President, and Ms. Rachel Kyte, the United Kingdom’s Climate Envoy. Discussions focus on defining the Caribbean’s unified negotiating position ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, a landmark conference marking the tenth anniversary of the Paris Agreement and the global midpoint to 2030. For the Caribbean and other Small Island Developing States (SIDS), keeping 1.5°C alive, securing climate finance and loss-and-damage support, and defending the special circumstances of SIDS remain non-negotiable priorities. The Office of the Prime Minister {OPM} says Prime Minister Pierre continues to champion a fair and ambitious global response that delivers survival, security, and dignity for every Caribbean citizen.
St. Lucia and the rest of the world commemorated World Mental Health Day {October 10} with the aim of raising awareness about mental health priorities. The day also calls for greater investment and action to improve access and support to mental health care worldwide. The theme for this year’s observance, set by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) is “Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies.” This global theme emphasizes the critical need for robust mental health support during crises like natural disasters, conflicts, and public health emergencies, highlighting the urgent need to ensure that mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) reaches those people affected. The COVID-19 pandemic is said to have significantly intensified the mental health crisis across the Americas, revealing and deepening existing gaps in our mental health systems. People of all ages experienced heightened levels of stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma. Prior to the pandemic, mental health services in many countries, including our own, were already under-resourced, fragmented, and overstretched. With the COVID-19 pandemic, it disrupted what limited services existed, at a time when the need was rising dramatically. This experience has underscored the urgent need to strengthen our mental health systems, integrate mental health into general health care, and treat mental health as a public health priority. The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs is also providing mental health services within the community through a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals, including a psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioners and other mental health workers. This community team conducts scheduled visits to various regions to provide follow-up care and ongoing management. People who believe they are experiencing mental health symptoms, and who have not previously accessed mental health services, can visit any of the Community Wellness Centres. The District Medical Officer will assess them and, if necessary, refer them to the appropriate mental health service. In cases of emergency, they can go directly to the Emergency Room, where the same referral process will be followed. This approach ensures that any underlying medical conditions contributing to mental health symptoms are addressed, as mental health services are considered part of tertiary care. Recognizing the critical need for strong leadership in mental health, the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs has established the position of a Director of Mental Health. This move is aimed at providing focused leadership, coordination, and accountability in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of mental health services at all levels of care. Some of the key elements of the mandate of the Director of Mental Health include, but are not limited to the following: To assist in preparation of work programmes relating to mental health services in St Lucia. To support the review of relevant mental health services legislation, policies and procedures in consultation with stakeholders. To establish linkages with all relevant stakeholders though collaborating and networking at the local, regional and international levels. To provide leadership in developing innovative community mental health programmes. The Ministry of Health remains committed to making mental health a priority. Currently, we are working towards updating the national policy and legislation for mental health in Saint Lucia and will continue to engage the public and stakeholders over the coming months.