Dear Editor,
I have stated before that both parties are only interested in using the people of Guyana to further their thirst for power but have little or no care for the masses of Guyana. They concentrate on huge infrastructure which are given to selected contractors some of whom have no expertise nor equipment and these persons simply subcontract. It is believed that big contracts mean big draw back. Some of these infrastructure works are necessary, others could have been put on the back burner and the funds utilized to improve the lives of the masses. We are building fancy walkways, which a few use, and are putting these fancy bricks so the producer of these bricks benefits, and of course, the crony contractors.
They are building a number of hospitals, however the question is, if they cannot equip and staff the few, what happens when these are built utilizing the people’s money or via loans which future generations would be burdened with? A little while ago, the equipment that tests blood for five satellite health centers, around Georgetown, was broken. It was four months later that they bought one. In the meanwhile, people had to find scarce resources to go to private labs. Why did it take four months? And when they finally procured, it was one, why not two? I am led to believe that one costs less than 4 million dollars. Under normal circumstances, it takes two weeks for blood test results to be available. If the doctor recommends an ultrasound and you go to Georgetown hospital you are given an appointment over one month ahead.
Try getting a colonoscopy, sometimes over a year passes. Recently the colonoscopy equipment was down, it took a long time for that to be fixed. I believe at the moment they can do the upper body and not the lower as the one to do the lower is down. Why can’t we have more equipment? Build less hospitals and fix the ones that we have utilizing the funds. If one needs a hernia surgery one has to wait months even years, same with kidney and gallstones. Recently a young man died because of kidney stones. He was told to wait. And he waited and waited and waited until his kidneys failed. So often necessary drugs are not available.
The Coalition was callous also. It imposed VAT on health. Then Minister of Finance, Jordan, said if one can afford to go to private hospitals then one can afford to pay the VAT. The coalition leadership was so distant from the masses; they did not realize that people had to scrape to do so and on many occasions, if overseas relatives did not help, many more would have died. He said they should go to the public hospitals, but the coalition did not ensure that the public hospitals had the necessary capacity to deliver quality health care. In the meantime, these politicians go to private or overseas hospitals for their health needs. Remember the ex-President who went overseas in a chartered jet to take care of some minor stomach ailment? We elect these people to be our servants.
I am one person who is not demanding cash payout to all citizens but I am demanding that this government make some of the oil money available immediately to improve the delivery of health care among other things. Is it not possible to construct a building with a number of operating theatres with adequate pre and post-surgery care and have the necessary equipment for various tests? We have the doctors but insufficient theatres. Two parties and 60 years could not put this in place? There is a need for immediate measures to support the grossly inadequate health system. We also need backup systems in the event of failure of the present system. Use some of the oil money for this.
Over the years we have seen leaders of the political parties look after their own interests and rise from rags to riches in record time. Our people need to open their eyes to this reality and close their eyes to colour. Our economic interests, which have been ignored by both parties, is what can unite the broadest majority. We can hold any government accountable and can commence to think of replacing these two parties that have held us hostage over the years. They do so by using race and race divides the working people and prevent the unity that is so necessary if we want a good life for ourselves and our children and the future generation
Sincerely,
Rajendra Bisessar
Presidential Candidate
United Democratic Front
BSc Sociology, LLB
