TYNIA BROWN
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
 
 
Last week a few members of the Ministry of Health & Wellness team Kennita Saunders-Kemp
and Christina Johnson, went to Inagua where they conducted their Mental Health and
Psychosocial Support Initiative.
Inagua has embarked on a significant mental health initiative with the launch of the support
network. This project aims to address mental health concerns on the island, and it started with a
recent meeting that saw the attendance of key stakeholders, including island administrator
Herman Gilbert and chief clerk Zanta Lightbourne.
 
The initiative focuses on educating local leaders, government officials, and business owners in
basic psychological first aid (PFA). This foundational training is designed to equip community
members with the skills to provide initial support in mental health crises, just how CPR is used in
medical emergencies. The importance of this training session was emphasized due to the lack of
mental health resources on the island.
The recent town hall meeting revealed a gap in the community’s understanding of mental health
versus mental illness, highlighting the need for such educational efforts. Both Mr. Gilbert and
Ms. Lightbourne have been praised for their crucial role in advancing the initiative, with special
thanks also given to the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Mental Health Programming
Unit for their support.
As Inagua moves forward, the initiative aims to foster a more informed and supportive
environment for mental health, demonstrating a proactive approach to addressing these critical
issues.
Mental health issues have been on the rise as of recent with specifically young adults. In March
of this year, there was 22-year-old woman who took her own life by ingesting an unknown liquid
substance, according to police and a year prior to that, another young woman took her life.
Carissa Culmer, 25, the mother of a two-year-old boy, sent a message to her best friend saying
she could not continue living, less than an hour before she was found hanging in a hotel room in
Cable Beach in March of 2022.
Mental illness comes in all forms, for example there are still victims dealing with the trauma
from Hurricane Dorian. the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, which left lasting scars on the
affected communities, both physically and mentally. The hurricane has heightened mental health
issues, a reality echoed by the experiences shared at a recent town hall meeting where local
pastor Robert Lockhart offered his church as a sanctuary for emotional expression. Despite only
a few individuals speaking, the collective response from the 200 attendees marked by applause
and shared tears illustrates the deep emotional impact of the disaster.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration highlights that natural
disasters often result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), leading to increased anxiety,
nightmares, and depression-like symptoms.
The personal story of Eulese Cooper, a fisherwoman from The Bahamas who endured a
concussion during the storm and is plagued by nightmares, underscores these challenges. The
stigma surrounding mental health in the Bahamas where struggles are often viewed through a
lens of weakness or disconnectedness from spiritual faith compounds the issue, as noted by
Minister of Health at the time, Dr. Duane Sands.