6 Hrs Ago
Keigon Denoon –
IN a rare show of solidarity on November 10, the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), after a special debate, voted unanimously in support of a private motion to devise strategies to improve the mental health and well-being of men and boys on the island.
The motion, moved by stand-in Minority Leader Keigon Denoon, was deliberated upon during the THA’s first-ever International Men’s Day Debate in the Assembly Legislature, Scarborough.
The debate, an initiative held to commemorate International Men’s Day on November 19, saw young boys and men from across Tobago assume the roles of assemblymen and councillors in what was a lively and enlightening three and a half hour sitting. The stand-in presiding officer was Akeil Andrews.
The motion called on the THA to establish a sustainable, multi-sectoral programmes to effectively address the challenges plaguing men in Tobago society, including but not limited to men’s mental health, positive male identity and the teaching of healthy and responsible coping mechanisms.
It also urged the assembly to foster collaboration among governmental and non-governmental organisations to restore balance, empowerment and strengthen the social fabric of Tobago.
In winding up the debate, Denoon urged members to put politics aside.
“I want you to vote for the boys and men who cannot sit in this chamber, who have put you in this position to speak and vote on their behalf. Vote vote not for party, vote for the young men and boys who need our help,” he said.
“If you do not do that, the blood of the young men who continue to go to the gallows by themselves will be on your hands. And that will be the legacy of your administration. If we do not build boys with purpose, we will have to fix broken men tomorrow.”
He said for far too long boys and men have been allowed to fall by the wayside with no one to protect or defend them “while we, the men of society, have sat in offices with the ability to put policies in place but have done nothing.”
Earlier, in presenting the motion, Denoon argued that while the THA had championed the empowerment of women, it had neglected the men, leaving them unsupported, unmentored and unseen.
“We have failed men and, yes, man have failed men. While women have built networks of solidarity, too many of us, and I include myself in this, have stood by in silence as our brothers fell behind.”
Saying that men express pain differently, Denoon called for a gender-specific approach to address their mental-health problems.
“We need a men’s mental-health network, district-based clinics, opened after hours, run by male counsellors, linked to churches, sports clubs and workplaces. We need a community mentorship, anger management training, skills development, linked to family and reconnection programmes that brings fathers back into the lives of their children.”
He also recommended that a men and boy’s scorecard be published every year on November 19, tracking male suicides, school performance, employment and family participation.
“Let there be accountability not applause.”
Denoon added the programme must be implemented across all divisions ensuring that every division play its part.
“Only then, will Tobago have a date driven framework that is worthy of representing its men.”
Stand-in THA Chief Secretary Akinlabi Holder, in his response, described the motion as a skeleton.
“But we on this side are very magnanimous. We on this side are very kind and will put some meat on the bones,” he said amid desk-thumping from his colleagues.
Holder, representative for Parlatuvier/L’Anse Fourmi/Speyside, said he had spoken to many men within and outside of his electoral district.
He learnt they faced real challenges.
“Upon reflection, I have come to realise that many of these men, they don’t seek help or there aren’t structures to help them because of the conditioning that they’ve received at boyhood and the attitudes that society has towards men that we don’t need help, we should solve all of our problems on our own, Mr Presiding Officer. And because of these attitudes, men are left to languish and our health is in poor condition,” he said.
“As such, I believe that this programme that the Minority is suggesting will not be effective unless we have a targeted public education campaign aimed towards dismantling the harmful conditioning that men receive towards a goal of improving men’s mental health.”
Holder believes that the quality of the society is directly connected to quality of men’s mental health.
“It is easier to raise healthy boys than it is to fix broken men.”
He said international studies show that public education campaigns have success in changing attitudes, particularly when it comes to men’s mental health and men’s attitude towards their mental health.
“It has shown success in dismantling those harmful stereotypes, those expectations, those harmful conditioning that our boys and men undergo and are thrust upon by society.”
Holder said the studies also show that men seek help as a result of the public education campaigns.