Lawrence, Opposition clash in lively debate
Minister of Public Health, Minister Volda Lawrence
Minister of Public Health, Minister Volda Lawrence

‘SHOTS were fired’ in the National Assembly when Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence hauled Opposition Members of Parliament Dr. Frank Anthony and Vishwa Mahadeo over the coals for misleading the nation on critical health issues.

PPP Member of Parliament,
Dr Frank Anthony

On Tuesday, the Opposition members, in particular Dr. Anthony, had accused the Public Health Ministry of being the “lead violator of good tender board procedures and norms.” But on Wednesday they were kept on the edge of their seats as Minister Lawrence fired back.

Despite being provided with accurate information by the staff of the Public Health Ministry, Minister Lawrence said, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) parliamentarians deliberated attempted to mislead the House.

“Their presentation sounded like Fright Night,” the public health minister said as her colleagues on the governing side of the House burst into laughter.

“It was like we were exposed to Freddy, Jason and Krueger at the same time,” she added much to the annoyance of the Opposition members.

PPP MP, Dr Vishwa Mahadeo

In setting the record straight, Minister Lawrence said while the Opposition Members of Parliament lamented the fact that the Public Health Ministry disposed large quantities of expired drugs in 2016, they failed to inform the National Assembly that since 1997, the Auditor General (AG), on a yearly basis, called for the disposal of expired drugs but it fell on deaf ears.

“It was under the APNU+AFC Administration that we saw attempts to adhere to the AG’s recommendations,” Minister Lawrence boasted.

Clarifying more of the Opposition’s ‘misinformation’, the Public Health Minister told the House that after careful examination of the inefficiencies of the consultant and contractors working on the doctors and nurses quarters at the Port Kaituma Hospital Complex, the Health Ministry took a prudent decision to halt the project. The Attorney General Chambers was approached for advice on the matter.

INSTALLMENT SOON
“As we speak, the refrigerator for the mortuary at the Port Kaituma Hospital Complex is in the country and will be installed during this month of December,” Minister Lawrence said as she sought to put to rest claims by the Opposition that the installation is further delayed.

It was emphasised that all the necessary information on these projects was made available to the Opposition members but they chose to “misrepresent” the facts.

“Mr. Speaker, what Dr. Anthony failed to mention that upon request for information on the installation of the CT scan at Bartica, he was informed that the contractor was approximately 55 per cent complete on the area to house the scanner, while at New Amsterdam, the area to house the scanner, is presently housing a laboratory, which will move to its new location in another week or so,” she further clarified.

The controversial Sussex Street Bond had also taken centre stage in the PPP MPs presentations. In response, the National Assembly was reminded that the Public Health Ministry in October 2016 by way of a notice ended the contract.

As the Opposition members were about to get comfortable in their seats, Minister Lawrence told the House that one is left to conclude that the Honorable Members are descendants of “Ananias and Sapphira.”

“It was under their Government when Guyana entered into contractual arrangements in 2000 with GAVI,” she pointed out while noting that the terms and conditions are based on co-payment. GAVI – the Vaccine Alliance – is a public–private global health partnership committed to increasing access to immunisation in poor countries. Under the system, it is required that increment payments be made until Government pays in full. Since 2015 Guyana stopped qualifying for new vaccine support after it was classified as a low-middle income country.

CHILD’S PLAY
Turning her attention to the “claims of upfront payments to contractors,” the public health minister said the content of the 2016 Report of the Auditor General, which has been lamented by the PPP MPs, is child’s play to the comments of the Auditor General for the past 23 years under the PPP.

“Just after two years into office the Auditor General in 1994, commented continuously of no evidence of adjudication, no evidence of competitive bidding, and no involvement of central tender board. Sir, as far back as 2003, the AG’s comments on upfront payments to suppliers can be followed. Case in point, in November 2003 Cabinet gave its no-objection to a contract valued US$2.77M by July, 2004 the full amount was paid, delivery should have taken six months, yet Sir in 2005 US$68M was not supplied. In March, 2004 Sir, the same supplier got a contract for US$1.4M… In December 2005, US$309,000 was not supplied and this trend continued until their removal Sir,” Minister Lawrence pointed out.

“Sir I hereby conclude that the descendants of Ananias and Sapphira are clearly bent in their ways. May God have mercy on their souls,” she added. Singling out PPP back bencher, Cornel Damon, Minister Lawrence said “look, brought your snack” as she waved a zip lock bag. “I brought grass for Damon,” she later added causing uproar in the National Assembly with the Opposition Members asking the Speaker Dr. Barton Scotland for protection. Minister Lawrence was asked to withdraw the word, and respectfully did.

Nonetheless, she said while her colleagues on the opposite side of the House is bent on injecting politics into every strata of life, the APNU+AFC Government’s priority is the health of the nation.

DISMAY
PPP Member of Parliament Vindhya Persaud expressed dismay at the Public Health Minister’s statements, as she too fired back. Persaud told the National Assembly that there is a “big” difference between the delivery of healthcare and access to healthcare. According to her, “delivery of healthcare is in total shambles in this country.”

“I have had the opportunity with members on the other side to visit many of the health institutions across this country, the shelves are bare in the bond, equipment had not been working since 2016 and there is a severe shortage of human resources. Today that has not been corrected,” the Opposition MP opined.
Persaud told the House that Dr. Anthony and Mahadeo’s statements were based on the content of the Auditor General Report.

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