HOW LOW can the opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) stoop in its desperate efforts to regain some respect from once faithful followers who are now among the disillusioned over the quality of leadership it is offering?

An answer may have been unwittingly provided just a few days ago by the PNCR leader, Robert Corbin, when he sought to score a pathetically cheap political point in suggesting that “negligence” may have been a contributing factor in the death of Minister Dr Desrey Fox.

The circumstances of the tragedy that befell the much loved and respected minister on December 8, when she suffered very serious injuries in a three-vehicle accident, have since been before the public.

In the public domain, via media reports, were details of how Dr Fox was quickly rushed into admission at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s High Dependency Unit (HDU) and subsequently transferred to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The PNCR leader had questioned last Thursday whether Dr Fox’s death was due to the vehicular accident, or resulted from “any intervening events, such as professional negligence at the Georgetown Public Hospital…”

In dismissing the PNCR leader’s suggestion of “professional negligence” as contributing to Dr Fox’s death, Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy has displayed much restraint in providing relevant information without becoming embroiled in the emotional politicking that Mr. Corbin’s allegation clearly invited.

By his measured response, Dr Ramsammy has done credit to his own medical profession, in general, and specifically in appropriately defending the professional staff at the Georgetown Hospital who were involved in the strenuous efforts to save the life of the very seriously injured Dr Fox.

Question is: Why would the PNCR seek to divert public attention from its own agonising internal problems by rushing to assume some kind of “insiders’ knowledge” to justify its clearly political allegation of “professional negligence” being a contributing factor in Dr Fox’s death at the State-run hospital?

Surely, the PNCR’s leader cannot hope to win public support for his party by this kind of political infantilism. He must know the depth of respect and admiration the entire government had for Dr Fox.

He nor his party could not have been so unaware of the mobilisation of professional human resources that were devoted to saving Dr Fox’s life, consistent with professional training and caring.

Thankfully, the late minister’s family, still suffering from the trauma of her sudden passing, as well as the involved staff of the GPHC, who know otherwise, may well be asking what is the PNCR really up to with its politicking over claimed “professional negligence.”

Health Minister Ramsammy has thoughtfully pointed out, in the interest of public information, that in accordance with established policy, the GPHC engaged in its own “clinical audit” in the circumstances of Dr Fox’s death. This, he said, was the normal practice when deaths occur in such circumstances.

So much, then, for the PNCR’s crocodile tears over the tragic death of the Honourable Minister, Dr Desrey Fox!