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What a shocking and insensitive display towards the well-being of the Guyanese people, when both A Party For National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) vetoed the $1.25B allocated for advancing the construction of the Specialty Hospital!
A media pictorial of the Minister of Health, tells the story of the great disappointment felt at such an unnecessary, uncaring and anti-people action that can only have serious consequences for the delivery of advanced medical care services to the people of Guyana.
For the government, it is a huge setback for its already successful national health programme, that has witnessed the phenomenal overhaul of a once primitive system, where infrastructure was non-existent, and facilities abysmal.
That government has been able to achieve the astounding results from exponential, budgetary multi-billion-dollar investments since 1993, is because of its wise and astute recognition that a nation’s health is paramount to its prosperity, since there must be a healthy, productive work force available always for national development.
This has been duly recognised once again, by a further budgetary allocation of $19.2B for 2013; an increase of $2.2B over the figure for 2012. It must be noted, too, that $2.3B of this sum is to be directed towards further infrastructure, inclusive of the sum for the Specialty Hospital, that has been cut from the estimates.
It is very reasonable, and easily so, for any government to defend the rationale and absolute necessity for a facility such as a Specialty Hospital in a nation that though it is offering some amount of specialised surgical intervention, still does not have the high-tech services to deal with very serious physical instances and emergencies. Thus, the announcement by the visionary former President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, of the intended availability of such a medical facility in Guyana, was hailed and lauded, as it still is, as timely for the relief that it will offer Guyanese, for the reduced costs of medical attention, as well as the saving of lives.
How can the parliamentary opposition, particularly the AFC, not understand the critical importance of this groundbreaking project for the well-being of the nation, which socio-economic standards it has promised to improve? Further, how can both these parties (AFC and APNU), inflict such a wound on the citizens of this nation, inclusive of the many thousands who would have placed great faith in them at the last national polls?
But there is a hidden side to what occurred in the National Assembly, last Wednesday evening, and it centres on the AFC, its leader, and their support for the politics of vested interests, coupled with Ramjattan’s vengeful politics.
Certainly, it has not escaped the observation of the Guyanese people, that the desperate charge to cut sections of the Budget 2013, is led by Ramjattan. Also, it should be known that it was this very party leader, in his professional capacity as an attorney-at-law, who represented the Fedders-Lloyd company, that failed in its bid for the Guyana government award to construct the Specialty Hospital. Everyone is aware as to Ramjattan’s vitriol at the announcement that did not favour his client. There were the usual allegations levelled against government over its final decision.
Add this to the Marriott Hotel project, which from the onset, attracted outright rejection and vehement criticism from the AFC and its principals, on behalf of a certain Mr Robert Badal, a financier of the latter political party, but primarily owner of the Pegasus, who feels threatened by the competition that a five-star brand such as the Marriott would offer to the age-old hotel.
One would therefore understand the mindset of Ramjattan in his crusade of vengeance, against the government, in this latest opposition act that is clearly anti-national
This is a clear case of the politics of vested interests on the part of this party leader, that would have driven him to such acts of vengeance. Did he inform the House that he was legal representative for the competing firm that bid for the Specialty Hospital? Maybe the Standing Orders ought to be investigated for any such violation.
A media pictorial of the Minister of Health, tells the story of the great disappointment felt at such an unnecessary, uncaring and anti-people action that can only have serious consequences for the delivery of advanced medical care services to the people of Guyana.
For the government, it is a huge setback for its already successful national health programme, that has witnessed the phenomenal overhaul of a once primitive system, where infrastructure was non-existent, and facilities abysmal.
That government has been able to achieve the astounding results from exponential, budgetary multi-billion-dollar investments since 1993, is because of its wise and astute recognition that a nation’s health is paramount to its prosperity, since there must be a healthy, productive work force available always for national development.
This has been duly recognised once again, by a further budgetary allocation of $19.2B for 2013; an increase of $2.2B over the figure for 2012. It must be noted, too, that $2.3B of this sum is to be directed towards further infrastructure, inclusive of the sum for the Specialty Hospital, that has been cut from the estimates.
It is very reasonable, and easily so, for any government to defend the rationale and absolute necessity for a facility such as a Specialty Hospital in a nation that though it is offering some amount of specialised surgical intervention, still does not have the high-tech services to deal with very serious physical instances and emergencies. Thus, the announcement by the visionary former President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, of the intended availability of such a medical facility in Guyana, was hailed and lauded, as it still is, as timely for the relief that it will offer Guyanese, for the reduced costs of medical attention, as well as the saving of lives.
How can the parliamentary opposition, particularly the AFC, not understand the critical importance of this groundbreaking project for the well-being of the nation, which socio-economic standards it has promised to improve? Further, how can both these parties (AFC and APNU), inflict such a wound on the citizens of this nation, inclusive of the many thousands who would have placed great faith in them at the last national polls?
But there is a hidden side to what occurred in the National Assembly, last Wednesday evening, and it centres on the AFC, its leader, and their support for the politics of vested interests, coupled with Ramjattan’s vengeful politics.
Certainly, it has not escaped the observation of the Guyanese people, that the desperate charge to cut sections of the Budget 2013, is led by Ramjattan. Also, it should be known that it was this very party leader, in his professional capacity as an attorney-at-law, who represented the Fedders-Lloyd company, that failed in its bid for the Guyana government award to construct the Specialty Hospital. Everyone is aware as to Ramjattan’s vitriol at the announcement that did not favour his client. There were the usual allegations levelled against government over its final decision.
Add this to the Marriott Hotel project, which from the onset, attracted outright rejection and vehement criticism from the AFC and its principals, on behalf of a certain Mr Robert Badal, a financier of the latter political party, but primarily owner of the Pegasus, who feels threatened by the competition that a five-star brand such as the Marriott would offer to the age-old hotel.
One would therefore understand the mindset of Ramjattan in his crusade of vengeance, against the government, in this latest opposition act that is clearly anti-national
This is a clear case of the politics of vested interests on the part of this party leader, that would have driven him to such acts of vengeance. Did he inform the House that he was legal representative for the competing firm that bid for the Specialty Hospital? Maybe the Standing Orders ought to be investigated for any such violation.
