Solidarity with Yugge Farrell: Regional Statement

Solidarity with Yugge Farrell: Regional Statement 

Amend the Mental Health Act of St. Vincent and the Grenadines NOW 

  

 

We the undersigned, condemn in the strongest possible terms, the persecution and mistreatment of Ms. Yugge Farrell by the legal, medical, and political authorities of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. We are in full solidarity with Ms. Farrell and those Vincentians who stand with her.

Ms. Farrell was arrested on January 4^th, 2018 and charged with the use of abusive language to Karen Duncan- Gonsalves, the wife of Finance Minister Camillo Gonsalves and daughter-in-law of Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves. After pleading not guilty, an application was made by the prosecutor for Ms. Farrell to be confined to the Mental Health Centre for two weeks for psychiatric evaluation, as allowed under the nation’s Mental Health Act. However, according to a statement issued by the St. Vincent and Grenadines Human Rights Association (SVG HRA) – an independent Civil Society Organization – there was no apparent supporting evidence or behavior by Ms. Farrell which warranted the prosecutor and magistrate seeking and deciding to commit Ms. Farrell to the Mental Health Center. Furthermore, it appears that medication was administered to Ms. Farrell although the Mental Health Act only speaks to observation and evaluation of persons and does not include any mechanism to oversee involuntary admission and treatment practices. Also problematic is the fact that the Mental Health Center does not currently have trained psychiatrists or psychologists on staff. After the initial observation period passed, Ms. Farrell was detained for a third week and only released on bail on January 29^th, 2018.

The mistreatment of Yugge Farrell raises several serious concerns about the probable abuse of the existing Mental Health Act of St Vincent and the Grenadines. We ask- is commitment to a mental institution for use of insulting language a regular occurrence in SVG? We join the SVG HRA in questioning the validity of the observation report and treatment administered to Ms. Farrell. We note the alleged romantic relationship that Ms. Farrell has publicly claimed with Finance Minister Camillo Gonsalves and caution those who rush to dismiss this incident as simply a matter of ‘love gone bad’ to reflect on the fact that state entities can easily use the excuse of mental instability to vilify, discredit, and institutionalize any critic or person(s) deemed a threat or embarrassment to the established political order.

As human rights defenders, feminists, and persons who care about well-being and justice in the Caribbean and beyond, we condemn the actions of the judicial and medical authorities of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and their violation of the rights of Ms. Yugge Farrell. We deplore the misuse of mental health policies to oppress individuals and advance goals other than the safeguarding of wellness. Now that Ms. Farrell’s detention in the Mental Health Center has ended, we support calls for an investigation into the decision to detain and medicate her. We support her family members and demand independent medical and psychiatric care for her. We stand with the St. Vincent Human Rights Association who urge an immediate review and modification of the existing Mental Health Act so that it becomes compliant with international norms and standards to prevent abuses and protect human rights. Finally, we remind the government and authorities of St. Vincent and the Grenadines of their commitment to ensure their citizens’ right to free speech and protection from state persecution. The eyes of the world are watching you.

There must be no more violations of the rights of Yugge Farrell or any other Vincentian. Amend the Mental Health Act of St. Vincent and the Grenadines now.

In solidarity,

1. Andaiye – Guyana
2. Karen De Souza – Red Thread, Guyana
3. Sherlina Nageer MPH – Guyana
4. Alissa Trotz – Canada
5. Jospehine Whitehead – Guyana
6. Angelique V. Nixon – Trinidad and Tobago
7. Gordon Forte – Guyana
8. Delores Robinson – GROOTS, Trinidad and Tobago
9. Tonya Haynes – Barbados
10. Gina Singh-Trotz – USA
11. Akola Thompson – Women’s Wednesdays, Guyana
12. Anya Dover – Guyana
13. Indera Persaud – Jamaica
14. Maya Trotz – USA
15. Ronelle King – Barbados
16. Julio Thijs – Canada
17. Verna St Rose Greaves – Trinidad and Tobago
18. Dr Nastassia Rambarran – Barbados
19. Mellissa Ifill – Guyana
20. Salima Bacchus-Hinds – Guyana
21. Fatimah Jackson-Best – Canada
22. Charlene Wilkinson – Guyana
23. Stephanie Leitch – Womantra, Trinidad and Tobago
24. Krysta Bisnauth – Guyana
25. David Khan – Canada
26. Mosa Telford – Guyana
27. Jessica Joseph – Trinidad/ St. Lucia
28. Paige Jennan Andrew – WE-Change, Jamaica
29. Kimalee Phillip – Grenada/ Canada
30. Lana Finikin – Jamaica
31. Romola Lucas – USA
32. Nailah John-Price – Leave Out Violence in SVG, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
33. Shanya Cordis – Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Spelman College, USA
34. Marcus Day – St. Lucia
35. Zina Edwards – Guyana
36. Karen Philip – Trinidad and Tobago
37. Savitri Persaud – Canada
38. Roy Kingston – Guyana
39. Simone Leid – The Women Speak Project, Trinidad and Tobago
40. Ayesha Constable – Jamaica
41. Kala Ramnath – UK
42. Oluatoyin Alleyne – Guyana
43. Naicelis Rozema Elkins – USA
44. Maggie Schmeitz – Stichting Ultimate Purpose, Suriname
45. Alicia Wallace – Equality Bahamas/Hollaback, Barbados
46. Derwayne Willis – Guyana
47. Gerhard Ramsaroop – Guyana
48. Raquel Thomas- Caesar – Guyana
49. Vidyaratha Kisson – Guyana
50. Dawn Van Rossum – Antigua and Barbuda
51. Shonnet Moore – Guyana
52. Lauricia Akeisha Henry – Antigua
53. Michelle Springer – Barbados
54. Chantal Antoine – USA
55. Holly Bynoe – ARC Magazine, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
56. Hilary Nicholson – Video for Change, Jamaica
57. Vashty Maharaj – Central Beat magazine, Trinidad and Tobago
58. Tandieka Johnson – USA
59. Reine Joseph – St. Lucia
60. Peggy Antrobus – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
61. Honor Ford Smith – Canada/ Jamaica
62. Alexandrina Wong – Antigua
63. Marlon Mills – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
64. Marguerite Allen – Jamaica Community of Positive Women, Jamaica
65. Vanessa Lumbley – Jamaica Community of Positive Women, Jamaica
66. Shaneka Allen – Jamaica Community of Positive Women, Jamaica
67. Althea Cohen – Jamaica Community of Positive Women, Jamaica
68. Olive Edwards – Jamaica Community of Positive Women, Jamaica
69. Eunice Graham – Jamaica
70. Beverly Bain – Canada/ Trinidad
71. Jean Lowrie-Chin – Jamaica
72. Erin Greene, CAFRA – Bahamas
73. Ann Maria Diran – Suriname
74. Jennifer Grant-Wilson – USA
75. Marsha Hinds-Layne – NOW, Barbados
76. Maria Fontenelle – ECADE, Eastern Caribbean
77. Randall Theodule – St. Lucia
78. Majhon John – Mental Health Provider, USA
79. Maxine Allen – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
80. Cherrise Mcdowall – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
81. Jermain Ostiana – Curacao
82. Diane Cummins – Conscious Exchanges, Barbados
83. Nicole S. Hendrickson – Firecircle!, Trinidad and Tobago
84. Judith Weederburn – Jamaica
85. Keturah Cecelia Babb – Order of Nyahbinghi, Dominica/ Jamaica
86. Sendy Brown – Canada
87. Arielle Aska – Antigua
88. Patricia Sheerettan-Bisnauth – Guyana
89. Sharda Ganga – PROJECKTA Citizens’ Initiative for Participation and Good Governance, Suriname
90. Mark Jacobs – Guyana
91. Nadeen Spence – Jamaica
92. Nesha Edwards – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
93. Catherine Sealys – Raise Your Voice, St. Lucia
94. Jamela Khan – Trinidad and Tobago
95. Carinya Sharples – Guyana
96. Priscila Francisco Pascoal – Brazil
97. Audrey Roberts – Bahamas
98. Emma Lewis – Jamaica
99. Ruth Osman Rose – Trinidad and Tobago
100. Beverly Nelson – Grenada
101. N’Delamiko Lord – Trinidad/ Barbados
102. Melissa Matthews – Trinidad and Tobago
103. Linnette Vassell – Jamaica
104. Bridget Lewis – Canada
105. Joan French – Jamaica
106. Ulelli Verbeke – Guyana
107. Jean La Rose – Guyana
108. Robert Cuffy – USA
109. Mark Moseley – Guyana
110. Derek Gomes – Guyana
111. Elton McRae – Guyana
112. Andrew Campbell – Guyana
113. John Shevrattan – Canada
114. Shayla Murrell – Barbados
115. Colin Robinson – CAISO, Trinidad and Tobago
116. Sasha Robinson – USA
117. Lisa Outar – USA
118. Bianca Wagner – Bahamas
119. Louby Georges – Rights Bahamas, Bahamas
120. Stephanie Stfleur – Rights Bahamas, Bahamas
121. Jackson Petit – Bahamas
122. Granville Knight – Jamaica
123. Jasmin Renee Wu – JRW Foundation, Trinidad and Tobago
124. Huiming Wu – JRW Foundation, Trinidad and Tobago
125. Celine Leid – JRW Foundation, Trinidad and Tobago
126. Ava Turnquest – Bahamas
127. Kevon Mc Kenna – Trinidad and Tobago
128. Winy Marango – Vanutu
129. Aroona Ramsahai – Trinidad and Tobago
130. Kenene Senior – Jamaica
131. Jean-Claude Cournand – 2 Cents Movement, Trinidad and Tobago
132. Mavis Mainu – Ghana
133. Soyini Ayanna Forde – Trinidad and Tobago
134. Alysia Christiani – USA
135. Namela Baynes-Henry – Rainbow House, Guyana
136. Tamisha Lee – Jamaica
137. Natalie Bennett – USA
138. Jamal Gilbert – Guyana
139. Rupa Singh – Guyana
140. Henna Guicherit – Foundation Women’s Rights Center, Suriname
141. Sandra Latibeaudiere – Jamaica
142. Shirley Pryce – Jamaica Household Workers Union, Jamaica
143. Marion Bethel – Bahamas
144. Carol Narcisse – Jamaica
145. Nadia Sagar – Guyana
146. Peta- Anne Baker – UWI, Jamaica
147. Ruel Johnson – Guyana
148. Nan Peacocke – Guyana/ St. Vincent and the Grenadines/ Canada
149. Roslyn John – St. Vincent and the Grenadines/ Canada
150. Norwell Hinds – Guyana
151. Thomas Eugene – St. Lucia
152. Delven Adams – Guyana
153. Halimah DeShong – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
154. Bianca Wagner – Equality Bahamas, Bahamas
155. Ashlee Burnett – The 2 Cents Movement, Trinidad and Tobago
156. Crystal Brizan – CAFRA, Trinidad and Tobago
157. Danuta Radzik – Guyana
158. Adriana Sandrine Isaac-Rattan – International Women’s Resource Network (IWRN), Trinidad and Tobago
159. Jacqueline Hughes – Trinidad and Tobago
160. Terrence Blackman – Guyana
161. Japhet Jackman – Guyana
162. Margo King – St. Vincent and the Grenadines/ Canada
163. Alana Benjamin – Antigua & Barbuda
164. Natasha Yhap – Guyana
165. Clairmont Mali Chung – Stateless
166. Dianne Madray – Let The Women Speak, Guyana
167. Brenda Greaves – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
168. Sebastian Prescod – Canada
169. Sally Erdle – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
170. Maxine Allen – Canada
171. Sharon Watkis – USA
172. Lilian Ferrier – Foundation for Human Development, Suriname
173. Jacqui Alexander – Trinidad and Tobago
174. Y Deane – Past Chairman Mental Health Commission of Barbados, Barbados
175. Help and Shelter – Guyana
176. Leith Dunn – Jamaica
177. Vanda Radzik – Women’s Rights Advocate, Guyana
178. Florence Goldson – Belize
179. Indranie Deyal – Trinidad and Tobago
180. Wintress White – Red Thread, Guyana
181. Joy Marcus – Red Thread, Guyana
182. Halima Khan – Red Thread, Guyana
183. Vanessa Ross – Red Thread, Guyana
184. Susan Collymore – Grassroots Women Across Race (GWAR), Guyana
185. Paul Anthony Odell – USA
186. Joel Simpson – SASOD, Guyana
187. Ann Harvey – Guyana
188. Andrea Weekes – Leave Out Violence Now St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Canada
189. Dennis Atwell – Guyana
190. Letitia Pratt – Bahamas
191. Shorna James – Canada
192. Amory Cumberbatch – USA
193. Jeanette Campbell – Jamaica
194. Sylvia Baker – Bahamas
195. Kristina Hinds – Barbados
196. Nicole Charles – Canada
197. Kaneesha Parsard – USA
198. Cassandra Lord – Canada
199. Yusuf Hafejee – Barbados
200. Gabrielle Hosein – Trinidad and Tobago
201. Gralyn Frazier – The Bahamas
202. Susan Mains – Grenada
203. Leslieann Seegobin – Trinidad and Tobago
204. Chelsea Foster – Girls of A Feather, St. Lucia
205. Paul Anthony O’Dell – USA
206. Roberta Clarke – Trinidad and Tobago
207. Kaylorn Jones – USA
208. Marijke Sonneveld – Projekta, Suriname
209. Antonia Meinecke – Germany
210. Jennifer Grant Wilson – USA
211. Mark Dacosta – Guyana
212. Marilyn Rice-Bowen – Past President, Caribbean Women’s Association
213. Vanya Martha David – Dominica
214. Peter Lyte – USA
215. Nathilee Caldeira – USA
216. Neish McLean – Jamaica
217. Marisa Hutchinson – Barbados
218. Neish McLean – Jamaica
219. Antoinette Bacchus – USA
220. Timmia Hearn – USA/ Trinidad and Tobago
221. Ronald Daniels – Guyana/ Trinidad and Tobago
222. Anandi A. Premlall – Guyana/ USA
223. Rajanie Preity Kumar – Canada
224. Foundation Womens’ Rights Center – Suriname
225. Quality of Citizenship – Jamaica
226. Kay Ann – SVU/ ANU
227. Carla Dougan – UK
228. Marlene Corbin – USA/ Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
229. Faith Smith – USA
230. Kadon Douglas – Grenada/ Canada
231. Donna Joy Tai – Canada
232. Karen Gordon – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
233. Natifa Yorke – St. Vincent and the Grenadines
234. Kester Thompson – Guyana
235. Ashley John – Constructive Solutions Inc., St. Vincent and the Grenadines
236. Ayesha Williams – Trinidad and Tobago
237. Delroy Williams – Leve Domnik, Dominica
238. Deirdre Hector – St. Kitts & Nevis / USA
239. Cyntica Herbert-Fraser – UK
240. Dale Medford – Barbados
241. Bernadette Johnson – Bahamas
242. Cathy Shepherd – Trinidad and Tobago
243. Garfield Isles – USA
244. Andrena Emin – St. Vincent/ UK
245. Cyntica Herbert-Fraser – UK
246. Khadija Moore – Youth Advocacy Movement, Dominica
247. Calton Roper – Canada
248. Shirley Watkis – UK
249. Wil Campbell – Therapist, Huband, Father, Guyana
250. Garfield Isles – USA
251. Jemma John
252. Rosie Descartes
253. Coreen Irving
254. Tamara J Savoury
255. Cordelia Goodluck
256. Joan Cuffie
257. Ernestine Watson
258. Malaika Slater
259. Summer Lewis-Clarke
260. Shanta Grant
261. Kwame Nkosi Romeo
262. Marcia Braveboy
263. Jecliz Walker
264. Adriana King
265. Debra Providence
266. Ajene Eustace
267. Camille Bradshaw
268. Beverley Sinclair
269. Angus Steele
270. Lorrette Duncan
271. Joyce Lewis-Cordice
272. Josette
273. Winston Lewis
274. Jamette Pisse
275. The Bahamas Crisis Centre
276. Stop the Maangamizi: We Charge Genocide/ Ecocide Campaign – UK

 Please join us in co-signing this Statement in Solidarity with Yugge Farrell and against abuse of the Mental Health Act of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Although the gross human rights violation of Ms. Yugge Farrell ended this morning when she was finally released from the Mental Health Center of St. Vincent and the Grenadines  where she had been detained and medicated for three weeks, the potential for further abuses remains as long as the Mental Health Act of St Vincent and the Grenadines is not amended. If you would like to add your name as a signatory to this letter, please leave your name, any affiliation, and country in the comments below or email ssnageer [at] yahoo [dot] com.

 

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