C.N. Sharma not sure of a fair trial

Nov 04, 2010 News

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Owner of CNS Channel 6, Chandra Narine ‘C.N’ Sharma, yesterday attempted to set the records straight regarding his recent overseas visit for medical help.
There have been suggestions in the press that Sharma, also the leader of the Justice For All Party, had used the trip to Trinidad and Canada to escape sex charges he is currently facing in the local courts.
In a statement yesterday, Sharma who also yesterday announced his bid for the Presidency in next year’s General Elections, indicated that his medical troubles started back in the mid-1990’s. At the time Dr. Max Hanoman diagnosed him with a heart condition called ‘Angina’.
This condition developed over the years even as he received medical treatment locally.
In January, Sharma claimed in his statement yesterday, that the doctor advised him that he would have to use a pacemaker to aid his condition.
In February, the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI) performed stent surgery. There followed another test in April that found that Sharma was suffering from ‘Sick Sinus Syndrome’.
On April 14, the businessman said that he was admitted to the CHI for palpitations and irregular heartbeats. From all accounts, up to that moment, had spent almost $1.6M there for medical treatment.
On September 16, last, he was admitted to the Balwant Singh Hospital but discharged the following day.
Four days later, Sharma said that he was admitted to the Balwant Singh Hospital again after he was unsuccessful in his bid to be admitted to the CHI. He was discharged four days later.
“On September 25, 2010, he was again unable to gain admission to the CHI after complaining of chest pains. He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Balwant Singh’s Hospital where he suffered a cardiac arrest. He was resuscitated by medical personnel there.”
Sharma also sought yesterday to clarify three attempts to have him admitted to the CHI.
The first attempt was on September 21, when, according to him, an employee was informed that his admission could not be facilitated at the time.
The second attempt, he said, was made on the evening of Saturday, September 25, 2010, following what he said was cardiac arrest and the resuscitation, and referral from the Balwant Singh Hospital to the CHI.
On September 26, he said that another attempt to have him admitted to the CHI failed.
“In the last two attempts, family members received the same response from the attending nurses at the CHI who stated that while they are willing to admit Mr. Sharma to the CHI, they were unable to make contact with the doctors or specialists to look at him.”
The CHI, however, denied that it ever denied access to the institution. One doctor said that on the first occasion, the four beds in the institution were all occupied and the hospital had no option but to award a new date to Mr Sharma.
The doctor said that on the second occasion Mr Sharma’s secretary presented herself seeking a letter. The doctor said that he asked that Mr Sharma present himself but this was never done.
According to Sharma his family decided to medivac him overseas and received the relevant legal approvals,
This was done on September 27. The television station owner said that his wife, Savitree Singh, took him to Trinidad.
“While he was hospitalized for four days, his wide stayed at a Trinidad hotel. The St. Clair Medical Centre in Trinidad indicated that the tests which needed to be done would take several weeks.”
According to the statement, two doctors, Dr. Pratik Soni and Dr. Ashish Chavan, have confirmed the need for Sharma to be fitted with a pacemaker.
On October 6, the TV host was flown to Canada for more medical treatment. “He consulted with Dr. S. Kanani of CML Healthcare Inc. who recommended him to consult with a specialist. The specialist confirmed Mr. Sharma’s medical condition and advised that several weeks of tests will need to be done, to determine whether he would have to undergo open heart surgery or to take the pacemaker.”
Sharma said he returned home on October 28 and will be attending his court matters set for November 10 and December 3.
The politician also urged that any details regarding his court matters could be obtained from his lawyer, Nigel Hughes.
Reports from the Sharma camp stated that Mr Sharma traveled to Trinidad and to Canada and got the same news on his health that he got from the Caribbean Heart Institute. It was a case of a man leaving his home and going around the world only to find out that he really lived where he started, one medical source said.
Meanwhile, Sharma was convinced he will not be getting a fair trial.
This was in direct response to recent statements of President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Jagdeo, late last month, said that from what he has gathered, the police have a foolproof case against Sharma and the Director of Public Prosecution should pursue a course of action to have him returned to Guyana to face prosecution.
The President made the pronouncement during a recent press briefing where he called the case a very disturbing one and said that he was very concerned about the children involved.

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