“[…] After my sister, who was a year older, died at age 8, I thought it might have been better to take my life. I may have. If only I knew of a way to do it. Thankfully, the Internet wasn’t a thing back then or I might have googled …
Read More »Noble: Hope is the oxygen of democracy; we cannot afford to let NGOs wither away
One of my saddest memories is of something that happened in 2015 at a village perched high overlooking Port-of-Spain. This village was once a place of joy, where citizens from all over the country flocked to watch the annual fireworks in the Queen’s Park Savannah. However, a nationally infamous gang …
Read More »Suicidal tendencies: T&T has third highest suicide rate in Caribbean; here’s how to address it
Every four days, someone dies by suicide in Trinidad and Tobago. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), T&T has the third-highest suicide rate regionally, behind Suriname and Guyana. These countries share high East Indian populations, who are most impacted by suicides. Speaking at a suicide prevention workshop before last …
Read More »Noble: Living in a messy world; God understands suicide, so help—don’t judge!
God understands suicide. There are seven stories about suicide in the Bible, including Samson, seen as victorious, killing more in death than in life and finding his way into the Hall of Fame (Hebrews 11). Suicide is a complicated story in the Bible. It is a short-circuiting of God’s plans …
Read More »Who feels it, knows it! St Bernard’s pick for calypso crown and how local music can raise foreign exchange
I’m backing Joanne “Tigress” Rowley for Calypso Monarch 2019. Her story is real. Her music is good. And, yes, I had a ring side seat to her deciding on the song, Who Feels It, Knows It. Her rendition deals with depression and a mental health issue she dealt with after …
Read More »Dear Editor: In the wake of three youth suicides, is T&T ready to consider the mentally ill?
“How competent and resourced are the existing services [that deal with suicidal people and the mentally ill]? The answer to that question will tell you how serious were are about treating this problem.” The following release on youth suicide and society, which follows three suicides over the past two weeks, …
Read More »Lifeline gets new TSTT toll-free number; NGO still desperate for financial aid
Lifeline, a 24-hour hotline for persons suffering from depression or thoughts of suicide and violence, have a new toll-free number to dial after TSTT stepped in to help the 40-year old non-governmental organisation. The toll-free number is 800-5588. The TSTT service came online today and is a boon for Lifeline who, …
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