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Jul 29 - ERG Responds To Public Concerns Regarding Mental Health

Following the presentation of Government’s ‘Mental Health Act 2016’ to Parliament, Equality Rights Group has expressed concerns regarding the recent imprisonment of local resident Stephen Rodriguez.
 
A spokesperson for the ERG said: "We have been faced with much public concern represented to us regarding the six week prison sentence recently imposed on Mr. Rodriguez. The public is asking whether imprisonment rather than appropriate treatment is not more in keeping with the values not only of our justice system, but of our society. It is clear Mr. Rodriguez commands a notable level of public affection and the representations being made to ERG on his behalf are a faithful reflection of this.
 
"However, ERG is not, of course, privy to any of the confidential information which, it is to be assumed, the Court may have taken into consideration in arriving at its sentencing decision. Should relevant medical, psychological or any other relevant data be appropriate in decisions made concerning this judgment, we trust they will have been taken into account.
 
"It is in response to public concern, and given the very clear intention of Government to marry justice procedures with adequate treatment as evidenced by its Parliamentary intentions recently, that Chairman Felix Alvarez has approached both the Minister for Justice, Gilbert Licudi, and the Minister for Health, Dr John Cortes, for reassurances that appropriate and adequate consideration have been and are being applied in this case.
 
"In light of the fact that we have also recently announced the joint establishment of our ‘Connected Health’ Project along with addiction rehabilitation NGO ‘Stay Clean’, led by Damian Broton, we have also copied the Chief Minister regarding ERG’s concerns on the matter of Mr Rodriguez for courtesy information, and very much look forward to formal discussions with the Chief Minister on ‘Connected Health’ proposals regarding the approach and issues surrounding the long-standing problems our Community faces in this regard."

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