Residents of Manchester are extremely concerned about the number of suicides and murder-suicides taking place in that parish.

Over the past month, there have been several cases that have forced residents to question the trend.

According to one resident, "I don't know if is something in the water, but I think Mandeville people wah wash off."

One comment on Facebook yesterday read, "The devil is on the loose. One does not know when he'll attack one's family. It's scary, really scary. Heaven help us all!"

argument with parents

Another comment said, "I'm convinced that there is some bad fume in the air that Manchester people breathe. Something nuh right wid da parish deh."

Even with all the attention being drawn to the issue another suicide took place in the parish on Wednesday. Information reaching THE WEEKEND STAR is that about 8:30 a.m., 19-year-old farmer Kemar Whittaker was found hanging from a tree a few metres away from his home in Huntley district. Police said about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Whittaker had an argument with his parents and left the home. His body was found the following day.

This comes just days after Kevin Hollingsworth, 28, committed suicide in Comfort district after attempting to murder members of his ex-girlfriend's family. The incident left three persons suffering from machete wounds.

tattoos

On April 19, Junior Lennon, 21, of Knockpatrick, committed suicide allegedly because his tattoos were making him uncomfortable. A few hours later, the body of Leslie Bogle, 74, a labourer of New Forest district, was found suspended from a tree with a length of plastic around his neck.

Two days prior, a woman corporal, her son and his father were shot dead by an ex-sergeant who later killed himself. The incident happened in Melrose Mews, Manchester.

But despite the alarming number of suicides presently, it is nothing new to the parish. Between 2006 and 2009 there were at least four reported cases.

In December 2008 businesswoman Adma Smith was found dead in her bed with a rope tied around her neck. Hours later the body of her lover Alvin James was found hanging from a tree near his home at Bombay district.

common-law wife

In October 2006, Michael White, 37, chased his common-law wife Caullian Beale, 28, onto a premises and stabbed her several times before slashing her throat. His body was later found floating in a water tank.

Pastor Neville Gunther, head of the Grace Apostolic Church in Manchester told THE WEEKEND STAR, "It's an abomination, the scripture says there is no repentance in the grave ... When a person is driven to take his or her life you have to leave it with the maker."

He reasoned that, "It all goes back to the family, the home setting and the stress that people are going through, economical and otherwise. If we get the home fixed, much of what we are seeing we would overcome."

Further, he said that, "People are not adhering to rules, parents are young and are not experienced. They have lost their fear in God. Young people, you can't tell them about church, the guidance is not there."

Gunther says that the church has taken the initiative to counsel the youths because there has to be a drive to help them. "The church really has to go out there now," he expressed.

disappointed

When contacted, Dr Donovan Thomas, founder and president of the suicide intervention organisation Choose Life International, said that he is disappointed in the way the media has been reporting on the matter. He said media houses should never show methods or print details.

Thomas believes that in order to reduce the number of suicides the formula COPE needs to be employed.

He outlined that persons should, "Clearly communicate causes of suicide (C); openly share options for help (O); present warning signs clearly, tell people what they can look for (P); and evaluate rather than sensationalise (E)."

In the meantime, despite the many incidents, Manchester is still trailing Kingston and St Andrew in terms of number of suicides.

A recent report in the Sunday Gleaner noted that, between 2002 and 2009, the country recorded 420 suicides. Almost 40 per cent took place within Kingston, St Andrew and St Catherine. St Andrew accounted for the greatest number with 20 per cent.

Additionally, the parish outside of the Kingston Metro-politan area with the highest number of recorded suicides is Man-chester, which accounts for almost 10 per cent of the national figure.