September 22, 2021 – Prime Minister, Dr. the Right Honourable Keith Mitchell, has underscored the important role of psychosocial support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As he continued his series of engagements with various groups of public officers, Dr. Mitchell said the tremendous value of this particular service cannot be over-emphasised, especially during this period when many are experiencing grief and changes to their socio-economic conditions.

Speaking to members of the psychosocial support team and other staff of the Ministry of Social Development on Wednesday, Dr. Mitchell said, “This is a very difficult time for everyone. No one was prepared for the level of challenges we are facing. We are in unchartered territory and a lot of our public officers on the frontline, especially our nurses and police officers, are facing a serious challenge, so there is clearly a need for psychosocial support. Our health professionals are confronting an unprecedented number of daily deaths, there are people dealing with the loss of family members and colleagues and many are also faced with drastic changes in their financial situation, all of which are significant stressors on the human psyche and they need help to cope.”

Dr. Mitchell commended the team of counsellors and psychologists who are going beyond the call of duty in serving the people of the nation during this critical time. The Ministry of Social Development now offers a 24-hour service for persons requiring psychosocial support.

The Prime Minister sees this as an area that qualified persons in the diaspora can easily contribute to.

He said, “This is truly an area of untapped resources. We have received many offers of support from people who are concerned about the current situation in Grenada, and I think the time is right to issue a call for help in the area of psychosocial support as these services can be provided virtually. The small team of persons we have at present, while I value their commitment, they simply cannot address the increased need in the country right now. We must do whatever we can to expand this area of service at this time.”

Dr. Mitchell also recognised other areas of support provided by the Ministry of Social Development, noting that this particular ministry has a critical role to play in addressing the needs of the most vulnerable and contributing to the overall improvement in the quality of life among Grenadians. Wednesday’s meeting was also attended by the Minister for Social Development, Honourable Delma Thomas and Permanent Secretary in that ministry, Chrissie Worme- Charles. They both commended staff for their ongoing commitment to the task at hand and thanked the Prime Minister for initiating the engagement as a show of support for public officers during this difficult time.