COMEDIAN Errol Fabien was in no laughing mood when he called for urgent help for the citizenry whom he said were deeply traumatised, just from living in TT amid its current spate of murders and violence. He was speaking on April 9 at a meeting in San Fernando of the NTA for which he will vie for the Point Fortin seat in the April 28 general election.
Fabien hoped people could get affordable homes while still having the time and money to pursue visual arts and music, spend time with their families and enjoy good mental well-being.
"We need real support for mental health in this country. It is real."
He pleaded for resources and community support to help people's metal health.
"Even the best gamers, the most talented musicians, and the most visionary artists need to level up on their mental well-being.
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"I must insert here, my friends, that marijuana abuse among our young people...Marijuana abuse is your enemy. It will compromise your mental health."
Fabien promised to push for more resources to help improve people's mental health.
"We all are traumatised in this country by the daily murders around us. The home invasions, the robberies, the head in the cooler – what was that? The decomposing bodies, the car thieves, I could go on.
"It is affecting us mentally. Whether (or not) we accept it or recognise it, we are being traumatised by living in this twin island economy.
"We need an urgent mental public-health intervention in this nation. We need to smile again. We need to love and laugh again. We need to be able to wear our jewellery again.
"We need to be able to walk home at night again. We need to hear, 'Morning neighbour!'" He promised to form a youth advisory council in Point Fortin to help him to stay abreast of issues.
Fabien called for the provision of education which was both affordable and relevant to TT's youngsters.
"We need education, education that does not bankrupt us financially, or intellectually.
"Education that teaches us about ourselves, our history, and who are we?
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"Who are our national heroes? Does anybody know? Where is the list of national heroes? We want to know that."
Fabien said TT nationals needed to know about the rise of the African nations in the world today.
"We need to know about Ibrahim Traore. I don't want to know about Donald Trump."
Holding the military rank of captain, Traore, 37, has been the interim president of Burkino Faso since the 2002 coup which brought him to power.
"We want to know about the president of Namibia – Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah – referring to that country's first female president.
"I want to hear about Ndaitwah, powerful woman, countries that are growing and finding liberation."
He said he did not want to hear and Trump and deportees nor about the UK and the visa requirement recently imposed on visitors.
"Tell me the good news about the tech giants in India, and how that country is becoming more and more of a world leader. That is what I want to learn."
Fabien declared, "We deserve relevant education, affordable tuition and real opportunities to learn the skills we need for good jobs."
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