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Raymond
Anthony Fernando has always been an active contributor to the suggestion
scheme both at company, personal and national level. During his
stint in a large media company, he received 8 commendations from
the General Manager for submitting outstanding suggestions. On a
national level, Raymond was presented with an award (A pewter plate)
from the Singapore Police Force in July 1998 for his contribution
to road safety, and letters of appreciation from government leaders.
Raymond has also served as a volunteer for 3 years in the Government
Feedback Unit, contributing ideas to help in nation building. Today,
he continues to contribute to the well being of all Singaporeans.
Some of Raymond's suggestions/ideas, reproduced in summary, are
spelled out by him below:
PROMOTE
RESILIENCE AND PATIENCE IN SUFFERING, NOT AMD OR EUTHANASIA
This letter was published in the Catholic News dated Sunday 23rd
November 2008
I applaud the efforts by Archbishop Nicholas Chia to reject the
use of euthanasia and fully agree with him that euthanasia is immoral
and we should never allow it. First the government is encouraging
Singaporeans to sign the Advance Medical Directive (AMD). Now it
is talking about euthanasia and this is indeed another step to taking
a life. God gave us life and only God can decide when we should
die. It is not for humans to decide the fate of the terminally ill.
Moreover, our doctors are trained to save lives, not take them away.
Though the elderly will be prone to sickness and suffering in their
twilight years, the government should invest more in proper palliative
care and provide better structural support for caregivers, which
in turn will raise the level of caregiving in Singapore.
We must never forget that patients who are terminally ill have also
contributed to Singapore’s economy and their contributions must
be valued. If we adopt a quick-fix solution to resolve the medical
costs that is involved in caring for the terminally ill, we will
lose our values, our Christian teachings and will not stay resilient.
If we practice patience in suffering, we become better human beings
and such virtues should surely be promoted.
Having lived through a failed suicide attempt, I know only too well
how precious life is. Let’s not adopt a quick-fix solution by promoting
the use of AMD and possibly euthanasia in future. As Catholics we
are all born to carry a cross – perhaps some carry heavier ones.
For those who support or promote the use of AMD or euthanasia, I
would like to remind them of what ex-US president Richard Nixon
once said: “A man is not finished when he is defeated. He is finished
when he quits.”
I urge all 320,000 Catholics in Singapore to stand solidly behind
Archbishop Nicholas Chia and reject outright the practice of euthanasia.
Raymond Anthony Fernando Singapore 560601
Read
about Raymond & Doris in the Catholic News Article, " A
Cry for help"
New
Mental Capacity Bill: Take into account abuse and neglect by relatives
I refer
to the report, “Govt seeks greater protection for the mentally
ill (ST, Feb 21).
I applaud
the plans by the Government to ensure that the mentally ill have
greater protection from health care workers. This move is long overdue.
The Straits Times must be commended for regularly raising the plight
of the mentally ill in its newspaper. They have been a valuable
partner to me in my quest to bring a better tomorrow for the mentally
ill and their caregivers.
The
new Mental Capacity Bill should also be enhanced so that family
members who take advantage of stricken ones are taken to court–
a valid concern, which I raised to the MCYS minister in December
2007. Persons suffering from mental illness are often abused and
neglected on account of their mental status. I am very sure there
are many cases of persons suffering from mental illness who have
lost their property or who are being deprived of money on account
of their mental status.
Relatives
who choose to deliberately neglect proper care and support for their
mentally ill family members must be sent for mandatory counselling
and the Mental Capacity Bill should include this clause.
Even
when my wife who suffers from schizophrenia and arthritis collapsed
in the kitchen and injured her head on Boxing Day last year, no
relative found it in their hearts to help both of us. More than
two months have passed and yet no one has bothered to find out her
condition from that near fatal fall. Does this callous act not this
tantamount to willful neglect?
As
I grieve heavily alone from her relapse in IMH, I am still not getting
any support whatsoever from any of our relatives, even though they
are fully aware that my wife is seriously ill in IMH.
My
love for my wife gives me the strength to keep going, but it is
extremely painful to see her in such poor health. For unless you
are in this predicament, you don’t know and many a time, you
don’t care.
Raymond
Anthony Fernando
MM
Lee right that people need stimulus to keep going in life
This
letter was published in the Straits Times Online section on Wednesday
16th January 2008
I refer
to the article, “MM’s keys to living long and successfully
(ST, Jan 13).
I fully
agree with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew that the biggest punishment
any man can receive is total isolation and that people must have
a reason and stimuli to keep going if they want to see another tomorrow.
For
people with special needs and their unemployed caregivers, the Government
can help them be more self-reliant if they are given grants that
allow them to work from home. One way to do this is to provide funding
that will enable these citizens to keep all the royalties from the
sales of works that they produce. This will help to uplift, motivate
and encourage them to be more self-sufficient.
The
elderly who are stricken with chronic illnesses and people with
special needs, such as those with mental illness, are often isolated
and neglected because relatives find them a burden. When such a
scenario develops, the responsibility of the solitary caregiver
increases 10-fold. Many get burnt out because caregiving is physically
and mentally taxing. We should not allow this to happen, or nursing
homes and hospitals easily become dumping grounds for caregivers
who can no longer travel the extremely difficult journey.
Reports
of the elderly and others dying without dignity with mental illness
in a well developed country like Singapore are disturbing. This
group of citizens needs volunteers to befriend them because relatives
do not want to have much to do with their stricken ones. Perhaps
it is time the Eldercare and the mental capacity Bills were strengthened
so that abuses or wilful neglect on the part of relatives are kept
in check.
To
promote neighbourness that will see people readily helping one another,
I suggest a ‘Role Model Neighbours’ scheme be implemented
in estates island-wide. Role Models Neighbours in each constituency
can compete for cash and sponsored prizes on a national level. The
positive publicity generated will stress the importance of helping
one another, especially in a crisis.
Raymond
Anthony Fernando
VIEWPOINTS:
Reach out to people with special needs
This
letter was published in the Catholic News dated Sunday 20th January
2008
The
South West Community Development Council (CDC) has implemented help
measures for the needy elderly through a database, (The Straits
Times, Jan 5). Besides financial assistance, the needy elderly can
expect, medical assistance, meals delivered to their homes and befrienders.
All
other CDCs are expected to follow suit. There is no mention of support
for persons suffering from mental illness in this initiative.
Just
like the elderly, people with special needs such as those suffering
from mental illness are also in dire need of help. The mentally
ill are often isolated, neglected and shunned by society. Due to
their mental illness, sufferers cannot find jobs and are stigmatized.
Just like the lonely elderly, people suffering from mental illness
need volunteers to be befriend them because even relatives do not
want to have much to do with their stricken ones.
Even
Singaporeans holding full time jobs are finding it so hard to cope
with rising inflation, Sufferers of mental illness who cannot find
jobs and money because of discrimination are worse off.
Mother
Teresa once said: “The biggest disease today is not leprosy
or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted.”
I urge
Catholic charities to set up a database for persons suffering from
mental illness and provide the help they need on their extremely
difficult journey.
Raymond
Anthony Fernando
How
to manage littering: ‘Catch’ and reward those who are
good
THE
NEW PAPER, JANUARY 2008, Page 32
I read
the response by Ms Wendy Ng on the question. “ How can we check
the growing littering problem in Singapore?” (The New paper,
2 Jan).Although
I agree that it is necessary to fine litterbugs for dirtying the
environment, I would suggest that the authorities be on the look
out for people who are also environment-friendly.
We
always are in the habit catching people who do the wrong thing and
punishing them. Why not reverse that and “catch” people
doing the right thing?
Reward
those who take the trouble to dispose of rubbish in the proper way.
We can commend those who help to return trays and plates in food
courts and hawker centres.
Such
good habits will also lend support to our elderly cleaners, who
undoubtedly will appreciate this thoughtfulness.The
National Environment Agency, with the support of sponsors, can offer
cash prizes, vouchers or giveaways, then publicise their good habits.
Over time, the message will slowly, but surely sink in.
Raymond
Anthony Fernando
Setting
up of a Wish Foundation in Singapore - idea submitted on 9th June
1999
On
9th June 1999, I wrote to the authorities to propose the setting
up a Singapore Wish Foundation to support the needs of terminally
ill children who were dying of cancer and their families. The authorities
were touched by my concern for these citizens and the idea was routed
to the National Council of Social Services (NCSS), who assessed
that there was no immediate need for such a foundation to be set
up in Singapore at that point in time.
News captions screened over TV's News channel for the benefit of
the hearing impaired - idea suggested on 3rd October 1997
Although
my idea was rejected by the media company I worked for on 3rd October
1997, I decided that this community project was a useful one, so
my wife and I decided to re-package the same idea and send it to
the authorities on 3rd November 1998. My wife and I were delighted
to receive a reply from the Feedback Unit on 7th January 1999 informing
us that the idea was being considered by the national broadcasting
station.
Using
technology to improve the lives of prisoners - idea submitted on
5th March 2004
On
the 5th March 2004, I wrote to the authorities suggesting that they
use technology to enhance the lives of prisoners by introducing
E-mail facilities for prisoners at specifies times/days. This facility
can be " built in" for the rehabilitation programmes.
It is quicker and will reduce the present workload of staff by more
than three times. Briefly this is how the proposed system could
run:-
Each
prisoner can be given a password to log into a computer. His e-mail
address is then given to his family members and friends who can
tie-up with the prisoner through this electronic means. For security
reasons, a moderator can screen all letters/messages transmitted
by this means. At specific dates/times, prisoners can have access
to a computer, key in their password and then read their mail. The
prisoners can also reply to the sender, but the moderator again
screens this before it reaches the family member/friend.
Government support for the mentally ill will help change mindset
- 4th November 2006
Over
2 years, I have been lobbying for better support and welfare for
persons with mental illness through the media (See " Letters"
category on my website). I am glad that my untiring efforts have
borne fruit. With the Health Minister's efforts to provide good
mental care and to secure jobs for recovered mental persons (See
Straits Times article " Expect more policy revamps in next
5 years on 4th November 2006), I have every confidence that mental
illness will slowly become an accepted illness just like any other
physical illness. Mr. Khaw Boon Wan was spot on when he mentioned
that society's picture of the mentally ill was largely incorrect
and outdated. The misconception that people with mental illness
cannot work, are violent and cannot recover has to be corrected.
There are success stories of people with mental illness who have
turned their lives around and gone on to lead normal lives because
they were lucky to have the much-needed support to help pull them
through their recovery. I have come across many people, including
highly educated ones, who continue to stigmatize and discriminate
against the mentally ill. More needs to be done to change this mindset.
Volunteers of the Yellow Ribbon Project have done a fantastic job
in providing wonderful support for ex-prisoners. I salute the employer
who runs a café and employs mental patients and the 18 employers
who recently offered jobs to inmates at the Changi prison job fair.
The government may want to consider recognizing such compassionate
employers so that it will motivate and encourage other companies
to employ recovered patients. With newscasters wearing the yellow
ribbon on national television, the message in getting people to
give ex-offenders a second chance in life is bearing fruit. I would
like to see the day when newscasters don the silver ribbon in support
of the mentally ill. I would like to see funds raised for persons
with mental illness just like convent school students go about raising
funds for breast cancer.
With
more people expected to seek treatment and counselling for mental
illness, it is imperative that the government beefs up the resources
and funding for mental health care providers so that they are well
positioned to tackle the growing number of people seeking treatment.
On
the living wills issue, the government must make a very clear stand
on the rejection of the life support with regards to the mentally
ill and those who are disabled because if safeguards are not in
place, people who are not in their correct state of minds or are
disabled can so easily be taken advantage of.
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