Post got it right, says reader

I found it ironic that the Cape Breton Post felt that they needed to justify their coverage of an attempted suicide in Saturday’s paper (‘Close encounter, Aug. 26).

Hopefully, this coverage will lead some of the powers that be to haul their head out of the sand and take notice of what’s happening on our island.

Our premier is so hell bent on union busting that he is not looking at the crisis our health care system is in. Every day you look at the Glace Bay/New Waterford page of the Post you will find a notice that one or both our hospitals in these communities are closed for lack of doctors to cover shifts.

The individual pictured in this situation would find little help even if it were sought because of the lack of doctors dealing with these issues.

This isolated incident is one of many that are being dealt with and never making the news unless it becomes fatal.

Meanwhile, anyone dealing with addictions or having mental health issues are falling through the cracks in Cape Breton.

Hopefully, the individual involved can get the help he needs to deal with whatever drove him to this drastic measure.

With the increase of accidental overdoses and suicides on the rise, it is once again volunteers coming forward and organizing town hall meetings and pushing to get the help that is so badly needed in our communities while our elected officials spin yarns of all they are doing to address these problems.

I commend the management of the Cape Breton Post for covering this story and shinning a light on the despair that is facing a lot of people.

I would also like to acknowledge the professionalism shown by the CBRM Police Services and, especially, the officer who was able to bring what could have been a fatal incident to a safe conclusion. Stan Peach Glace Bay