Latest update April 17th, 2025 6:18 AM
Deputy Speaker jets off to Florida Hospital for medical tests
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Deborah Backer, was yesterday flown to a Florida Hospital to undergo medical tests.
This was confirmed by Leader of the Political Opposition, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger.
While he was able to confirm the overseas trip, Granger could not give details as to what kind of medical tests the politician would be accessing.
He said too that he was unaware as to what her ailment was and as such did not want to speculate.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Deborah Backer
Granger did say however that Backer is fully aware of the January 16, sitting of the National Assembly and as such it is expected that she would return to Guyana by January 15.
In recent weeks, the Deputy Speaker has been unwell to the point where she has missed three Parliamentary sittings and had been hospitalized.
Fellow Shadow Cabinet member, Dr. George Norton was also contacted for details on Backer’s ailment but he too was unable to provide specifics.
He did divulge that Backer underwent surgery recently but says he is unsure as to the nature of the operation as he was not the surgeon.
Dr. Norton said that she was treated at the hospital and discharged.
Granger at a recent press conference was questioned as to whether the party would consider vacating Backer’s seat in Parliament as had been the case of former Member of Parliament, Richard Allen, who had fallen ill during a sitting of the National Assembly.
He responded by saying that the two scenarios are different and that, “Mr Allen fell during the budget debate and there were some critical actions which had to be taken together with the Alliance For Change at that time and the budget scenario is quite different to what is taking place now.”
At the time he said that Backer’s condition was stable and “we don’t have any reason to speculate on her attendance.”
Backer reportedly fell ill a few weeks ago and was resting at the Georgetown Public Hospital and according to reports, the family has been exceedingly tight lipped about the details of the condition of the elected public official.
This publication was told that even the visitors to Backer at the Hospital had been kept to a minimum.
Backer, who is currently the serving Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, is also a well known Attorney-at-Law.
She obtained her Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad in 1983 and a Bachelor of Law from the University of the West Indies in 1981.
Backer is a member of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) and Vice-Chairman of the Peoples National Congress Reform.
She has been a Parliamentarian since 1997 and had also served on the Georgetown City Council in 1994.
Backer is also a serving member of a number of important organisations such as the Lions Club International and is currently an organising member of the Women’s Millennium Caucus.
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