MR IRFAAN ALI, substantive Minister of Housing and Water and acting Minister of Tourism, on Friday expressed sincerest condolences to the family and survivors of the late Deborah Backer on behalf of the ministries in his portfolio.

He said, “Since I assumed my role as a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly, I would have met Ms. Deborah Backer as a Parliamentarian, and before this as a technician. She has served our country (in) the National Assembly, and has done what all Guyanese are supposed to do: To give of our best towards the development of Guyana; and it is indeed a great loss.

“…We at the Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Housing & Water would like to express condolences to the family; the extended family, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU); and to say to them our prayers and thoughts are with them at this time.”

Backer, former Parliamentarian of the political coalition, APNU) died Friday morning (March 210 reportedly of cancer. She had been battling the disease since last year, and only recently resigned as Parliamentarian and Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly in order to concentrate on her health issues.
APNU Leader, David Granger had said on her resignation that Backer’s absence was a great loss to the coalition, as she had been among the most brilliant minds within the APNU coalition.

(Rebecca Ganesh-Ally)