Dear Editor,
I refer to a letter authored by Minette Bacchus and published in your edition of April 7 entitled ‘Vanessa Kissoon has earned her place on the list to return to parliament’ and would like to endorse the sentiments expressed regarding Vanessa Kissoon’s outstanding record of public service and sacrifice. The Guyanese community in the diaspora is watching the public humiliation of this rare woman of substance with great dismay and sadness.
However, Ms Bacchus’ letter gives the erroneous impression that the Linden Legal Aid Centre is funded by the government. I do not think Ms Bacchus is aware that despite Vanessa Kissoon’s tireless efforts to raise awareness regarding the inequities in the disbursement of public funds for legal aid, the Linden Legal Aid Centre has never received a penny from the Government of Guyana. The Centre was destroyed by fire during the Linden protest in July 2012 and all efforts by the Minister of Human Services to provide funding to facilitate the reopening of the Centre have been thwarted.
Yours faithfully,
Joan Ward-Mars
Company Secretary
