In one of the most deplorable reports I have ever seen, Complaints Commissioner Nicola Williams Special Report detailed failures by the Cayman Islands government to meet the requirements of its own law in regard to the treatment of mental health patients. It also highlighted the serious legal problems that the government could face regarding its treatment of the mentally ill.

Mental health patients in Cayman are still being jailed even though they have not committed any crime, even though the previous commissioner, Dr. John Epp, highlighted this in 2008. Nearly four years ago!

Even after 30 months of correspondence and the establishment of a Mental Health Task Force (MHTF) in 2010, nothing has been done to address the problem of incarcerating the mentally ill. The MHTF drew up a draft change to the law.

Key reports by experts on the subject of mental health have been ignored.

Because of the failure of her efforts to get anything done and the seriousness of the problem, Williams said she had been forced into issuing this Special Report.

The Office of the Complaints Commissioner’s full report follows this article.

“The decision to issue a Special Report, provide a copy of same to the Governor, and lay it before the Legislative Assembly is not one that is taken lightly. This is the first Special Report I have had cause to issue since my appointment as Commissioner,” she said.

Jennifer Ahearn, Health Ministry’s Chief Officer, denied that the ministry had made no progress on the issue and stated that the task force had been “working diligently and continuously”.

 

TO READ THE FULL REPORT HIGHLIGHT THE LINK BELOW AND RIGHT CLICK WITH YOUR MOUSE. THEN SELECT OPEN LINK.