The Editor Sir:

I was rather disturbed when the story of 'Selassie' was related to be by my friend who works at Kingston Public Hospital. Even more disturbing was when I saw the footage of him jumping from that three-storey building. There are two things that anger me the most. First is the absurd behaviour of the masses that gathered prompting a patient of unsound mind to jump to his demise and second, the fact that the hospital staff did not make a more concerted effort to restrain this fellow from the night before when it was alleged that he was not on his best behaviour.

Jamaicans stigmatise

With that said, what continues to linger in my mind is how Jamaicans stigmatise persons with mental illnesses, and how a great majority of our youths, so afflicted, are neglected to the point where their condition deteriorates and becomes almost irreversible.

The Government needs to take more initiatives in educating people about mental illness, its detection and how to deal with it. Special policies should be implemented and enforced for young persons who suffer from mental illness as it is far more prevalent than we think it is. Parents should also look out for abnormal behaviour that their child displays and do medical checks if they are in doubt. We need to do more for the mentally challenged.

I am, etc.,

TANIKA CURRY

Youth Ambassador-at-large

Hopewell, Hanover