Speeches in the National Assembly

APPOINTMENT OF A COMMISSION OF INQUIRY TO INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENCE OF ILLNESS AND DEATHS IN THE BARIMA-WAINI REGION OF GUYANA
Mrs. Garrido-Lowe: I rise to speak in support of the motion “Appointment of a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the incidence of illness and deaths in the Barima-Waini Region of Guyana.” A motion brought by the Hon. Leader of the Opposition Brigadier (Ret’d) David Granger.
First of all, the Alliance For Change (AFC) wishes to express its deepest sympathies to the families of the three babies who died from the outbreak of the gastro-enteritis in the Barima- Waini region and the over 500 persons who were ill due to the waterborne disease in February 2013. We can only imagine the feeling of helplessness, the suffering that persons had to bear and that empty space in their heart that cannot be filled when a loved one is lost. We, in this honourable House, have to put our heads together to make lives better for every Guyanese.
The Hon. Minister of Health said that the Ministry of Health was on top of the situation, being swift and effective in response. In that instance, yes, and this is very commendable, but the crux of the matter is that all this horror of illness, loss, pain and grief could have been avoided. It is the duty of any Government of the day to fulfil the needs of its people and to safeguard their rights, as stated, in the motion brought to this honourable House, in article 24 of our Constitution, which  states that every citizen has the right to free medical attention.
Article 36 states that the well-being for the nation depends upon preserving clean air, fertile soils and pure water. The residents of Barima-Waini, Region 1 are citizens of this country and have the right to experience what is their rights.
Region 1 is part of our vast rich hinterland and the richest of gold, lumber and manganese lies within it. They are being extracted on a daily basis and the amount of moneys being extracted could easily maintain the region with a lot can be left over to share. Therefore there should be no excuse for hospitals in this region to lack doctors and well trained nurses and midwives in a community with such a large population; there is no reason why the water system should be so inadequate that children have to die because of waterborne diseases and there is no reason why this should continue to happen, especially at such a drastic level. The Government should take some of the region’s earnings and spend it back in the communities on the hospital, for example.
The residents of Barima-Waini deserve and have earned a right to have nothing less than a specialty hospital staff with enough doctors, nurses, midwives, where surgeries can be performed to ease the stress and strain of having to come to Georgetown for every surgery needed and for every snake bite. It is costly and can be avoided.
I am not accusing the Government of not caring for the people of Region but it does need to show more concern for the people of this rich and beautiful region. Plans for the upgrading of the water system and conditions at the Port Kaituma Hospital should have long been put into motion. I must add that the hospital at Moruka needs to be upgraded in order to serve the thousands of residents in the Moruka  subregion. Why this is not possible for this Government after 20 years?
The Alliance For Change opposes the present unhealthy conditions that the people of the Barima-Waini, Region 1, have to live with. We are asking this Government to show more concern to the welfare of its residents and come up with a solution to solve at least the water problem once and for all and provide residents with the safe water for use at the earliest opportunity.
The Alliance For Change has no difficulty supporting this motion.
Thank you very much. [Applause]