By Ragan M. Conteh
A seasoned United Kingdom’s trained Forensic Mental Health Practitioner with over twenty years clinical experience, Hon. Robin Faley, has cautioned citizens to be prepared for the mental, emotional, psychological, physical and financial impacts that will accompany the coronavirus pandemic nationwide and the world over.
Hon. Robin Faley made the call during the famous Opin You Yai People’s Parliament discussion, where he was speaking on the UK experience of COVID-19 pandemic, its impact, the need for opening up and lockdowns across the world, among several other issues.
The mental health nurse cum eloquent former Member of Parliament from 2007 to 2012 said, “Things are difficult now than ever and I will predict that at the end of the day, it is going to be even more difficult and tougher.”
“I will be doing complete disservice as a mental health practitioner if I fail to talk about the emotional, mental and psychological damage that the coronavirus pandemic is already causing and will continue to have negative impact on the lives of people,” Hon. Robin Faley averred. “The journey ahead is going to be bumpy, emotional, mental and psychological. This is because of the huge economic decline, joblessness and famine.”
This is not only, according to him, affecting Sierra Leone where poverty is rife, but also governments the world over.
Hear him: “To young men and women, brace up; things are going to be difficult and bumpy, so put on your seat belts. The economy is not good, poverty is rife, farming is not happening; people must brace up and be ready to work or else it is going to be difficult. That’s my message.”
On the political front, Hon. Faley, who’s the National Deputy Publicity Secretary II of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC), beckoned the opposition against abusive politics, whilst he warned the governing the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), his former political party, to refrain from politics of vendetta.
On when and how to open up countries from lockdowns, Hon. Faley said in the UK where he resides, the government is worried about easing the restrictions, but also looking at improving the GDP, which he said is badly hurt, a dilemma situation that is very hard to balance right for the governments like other countries.
“But the UK government is trying to ease things gradually, though with new measures such as use of facemask that have been made compulsory now,” he said.
Parliamentary wise, the former firebrand debater and shrewd politician said the State of Emergency was very necessary but sadly, “the Attorney General failed to accompany it with the Regulations as per Section 29 -13.” He asked that the Attorney General and Minister of Justice should apologize to the citizenry.
Hon. Faley described the current political atmosphere in the country as volatile and tense and also compounded by the coronavirus pandemic.
The former MP noted that these are the worst moments for the main opposition APC, which, he said, needs urgent in-house cleaning.
“It is not necessary to wish evil for our leaders, preaching tribalism, hate, revenge and grudges. The ruling government must also forget about retributive justice and provide jobs and food on the table for the ordinary people,” Hon. Robin Faley concluded.