Given the recent spate of news from nurses and other civil servants, I’d like to add another grievance to the list. As a long-standing service member, it greatly pains me that I have to use this medium to voice my displeasure. However, in support of my other comrades, I must say that enough is enough.
There is currently a grave situation playing out at the mental health facility where it appears we are to be turned into the Callliqua Branch of His Majesty’s Prisons. In less than 2 weeks, a highly volatile prisoner and notorious murderer – Mr. Webster Woodley – is to be moved from the prison and housed at the mental home after he completes his sentence.
This has ramifications for numerous persons, including but not limited to, all personnel employed at the facility and other patients. As a matter of public record, the mental health facility doesn’t have the necessary security measures to house dangerous criminals, even those who have served their sentence. To send a former prisoner who committed violent crimes to the mental health facility sets a dangerous precedent for similar cases to follow suit. If this person is a threat to the point that he cannot be in his own community, then why should he be housed among the most vulnerable people in the country?
Where is the legal representation to advocate for Mr. Woodley and his circumstances? Despite being “free” is he to go from one jail to basically another, to be kept in long term, high security confinement? This moves potential violates his human rights and those of the staff and patients already there.
The mental home caters to the most vulnerable people in society and there is already a stigma attached to it without the additional burden of it being used as a halfway house for dangerous criminals. The staff are not trained for this and are rightly concerned for their safety in light of the impending move of this prisoner to the centre. To add insult to injury, moves have begun in haste to construct a dwelling for this individual while for years numerous requests for repairs to BRAGSA and other government entities have languished on a desk with no acknowledgment.
No training has been offered to the nurses or the staff in advance of this nor have any security measures been started on the many issues on the compound, including the walls that are easily scaled, most frighteningly the completely broken-down front wall where a container in disrepair is currently located.
The move to house this prisoner is being made with breakneck speed with less than a month’s notice and little to no preparation. There has been no official communication regarding this event to the staff from our Minister, Mr. St. Claire Prince, which is a dire failing on his part, and yet another indication of lack of respect for the staff.
These events are a slap in the face to the dedicated workers who toil despite inadequate training, minimal resources, and no hazard pay. It just goes to show that the mental health facility, the workers there, and what we do to protect, maintain, and advocate for the for the most vulnerable people in our society is not seen as worthy of respect.
The powers that be use “mental health” as a buzzword and when the time comes, they have photo-ops, make speeches and give lip-service to the media. When it’s all over they get back in their cars and go to their offices and forget our work until it’s convenient. What about our mental health? I cannot do anything but cry “Shame! Shame! Shame!”.
