Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister Ayanna Webster-Roy is calling on parents and teachers to create safe spaces for children to speak about their feelings.
Webster-Roy made the call in a press release yesterday in response to two recent reports of teenagers committing suicide.
Last Friday, a 14-year-old boy was found hanging at his Arima home. He was said to be suffering from depression. On Sunday, a 13-year-old girl was found hanging at her Princes Town home.
Yesterday, Webster-Roy urged parents not to allow children to suffer in silence, saying childhood should not be a burden to them.
“Instead, childhood should be filled with love, happiness and a sure and certain hope for a bright future for all our nation’s children,” she said. Noting that even adults struggle to cope with the challenges of life, Webster-Roy said, “We can therefore only imagine how much more amplified challenges are to children. As such, we must ensure that our children have access to school counsellors, psychologists and social workers in order to prevent future incidents.”
She advised youngsters who may be feeling overwhelmed and depressed to talk to someone they trust about how they feel, call for help if they feel helpless or hopeless, surround themselves with positive and caring people or visit their school counsellor for support and assistance.
She also encouraged them to call 800-SAVE, 131 or 800-4321 or visit www.childlinett.org for information on how to access support services.
News anchor’s story
The minister’s statement came even as CNC3 news weather anchor Seigonie Mohammed yesterday opened up to a group of students about contemplating suicide after being bullied in high school.
Her touching story brought students to tears at the Caribbean Colour Splash’s Secondary School Anti-Bullying Conference at the Naparima Bowl, San Fernando.
Mohammed hosted the event and before introducing the keynote speaker, she related her experience with bullying.
“I was bullied for a long time in high school. I literally had my hair pulled out sometimes and it became so bad that mentally, emotionally, physically, I was drained and I turned to pills for comfort...I even considered suicide,” Mohammed said.
Luckily, she said, her mother, Madge Mohammed, was able to recognise that young Seigonie was struggling through her teenaged years.
“But then, that one person came and saved me and that person was my mother—she is sitting right here with us today,” she said as the students applauded.
However, Seigonie admitted she was afraid and ashamed to confide in her mother initially.
“I didn’t know how to tell my mother what I was going through...when you are bullied sometimes you don’t want to speak to your parents, you don’t want to tell them what’s going on. It took a long time for me to gain that trust in her to confide in her.”
She urged the students to confide in a trusted adult if they ever fall victim to bullies.
“You too have that support, whether it be your parents, your grandparents, your aunts and uncles, find someone you trust and let them know what is going on in your life.”