Bartica Mayor says community must confront mental health illness

Dec 14, 2020 News

Kaieteur News – In light of the recent tragedy which saw a woman and her children being burnt to death and the rape of a seven-year-old girl, Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall, said that the community must confront men with mental health illness.

Gifford Marshall, Mayor of Bartica

During an interview with this publication, Marshall stated that in light of the recent incidents, he believes that too many men from the community suffer from mental health issues.
“We definitely have some men that need attention in our community. It is unfair for innocent lives being lost due to men with mental health issues,” the Mayor said. Marshall stated that the recent killing of Carolina Kennedy and her two daughters and the incident with the young girl that was raped has shocked the community.
Carolina Kennedy, 48, a housewife and her two daughters, 5-year-old Mariana and 3-year-old Gabriella Kennedy, were burnt to death by her husband. According to information received by this media house, the suspect who confessed to committing the heinous act, had a troubled past. It is believed by some that the troubled past lead to him becoming mentally unstable and abusive. Sources had told Kaieteur News that he was previously convicted for hitting Carolina with a piece of wood.
On December 4, Bartica residents also had to face the news of the gruesome rape of a seven-year-old girl. The victim was reportedly abducted from her home by two teenage boys, raped and left unconscious in a muddy area. Those two suspects are currently on remand for allegedly committing the act. Information also suggested that these juveniles had troubled pasts and suffered from mental breakdown.
The rape of the seven-year-old and the death of Carolina along with her daughters come in close proximity of the UN’s 16 days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, observed under the theme: “Orange the World: Fund, Prevent, Respond, Collect”, an event observed locally and which ended with a domestic violence hotline established by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.
The Bartica Mayor believes that a critical part of addressing gender-based violence is recognising that mental health issues in men have to be addressed too. Marshall said that in response in general, the issue of gender-based violence in the community has to be also addressed by religious organizations, the officers from the Ministry of Human Services and Social Protection and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).