PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTION FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT STAFF
The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development and the Board of Supervision through a partnership with Transform Life Church has been providing counselling sessions for staff members in western Jamaica, following the devastating effect of Hurricane Melissa. On Thursday (January 15), the group met with the staff of the Trelawny Infirmary for one-on-one and group sessions to help them navigate the trauma that might have been onset by the passage of the hurricane.
During the session, Local Government Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie lauded the staff for their hard work and dedication to service even in the face of adversity.
“I just want to say to you all, there is not enough words to express gratitude and thanks and appreciation on behalf of the government for the work that you have been doing and continue to do under trying and difficult circumstances” he said.
He also thanked the members of the church for coming to the rescue and offering help during this critical time.
“They have been good to us, because this is not the first time, that they have [left] the comfort of Kingston coming out in the country to meet people in the Ministry of Local Government and I want to say to you, how grateful I am, on behalf of the Ministry of Local Government and the government. I want to thank you for the work that you have been doing… I hope that this relationship continues,” he added.
Across the spectrum of local government, many staff remain resilient and continue to work, despite losing their homes and other personal belongings during the hurricane.
Carolyn Bolt Nicholas, from Transform Life Church expressed her gratitude for the collaboration.
“ We are just grateful to have the opportunity to do this, less about evangelizing but more about ministering to hearts… we are delighted to be here…It really is our honour to come and spend time with you and to be your sounding board, we are happy to be your sounding board to just sit and listen and allow you to offload as you do the work you do… you serve while you are bleeding,” she said.
Matron of the Trelawny Infirmary, Tracey-Ann Bell, welcomed the intervention of the church and the Ministry of Local Government for their swift action in addressing their needs.
“Thank you for Minister McKenzie, and his team in the Ministry of Local Government who worked so speedily to identify a new location for the infirmary, and who is keeping abreast of the process to ensure that as soon as possible, the residents can be relocated into the facility…Thanks to the Transform Life Church who came out today to provide psychological support, we appreciate it so much” she said.
In addition to listening ears and sound encouragement, the group from Transform Life brought along care packages for staff members to help lessen the burden brought on by the hurricane.
The church has been travelling across Jamaica to host counselling sessions. So far, they have met with the staff from the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation and intend to expand the initiative to other parishes that were ravaged by the Hurricane Melissa.
