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Grieving mother feels neglected by APNU+AFC Govt
– still seeking justice for dead son
Had Jaden Mars been alive he would have celebrated his sixth birthday on Thursday. Instead, his mother, Nathalie Caseley, with placard in hand spent the day picketing outside the Brickdam, Georgetown headquarters of the Ministry of Public Health.
But Caseley’s picketing is nothing new. She has done it quite a few times in the past to emphasise her disappointment over the slothful pace of investigations into her son’s death. Investigations have reportedly proven that the child’s death was directly linked to the negligence of the health care workers who attended to him.
Nathalie Caseley (left) and Suzette Fortune in picketing mode Thursday.
Jaden Mars was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation on December 4, 2013 to have his tongue sutured. He had earlier injured his tongue while playing and was referred to the public hospital.
The child was however dead by December 10, 2013 leaving his mother with more questions than answers.
Caseley had decided to take legal action against the hospital and the Ministry but was asked to settle the matter.
Although reluctant to settle, Caseley, based on the advice of several prominent individuals, decided to embrace this course of action.
The woman however disclosed on Thursday that from all appearances the Ministry, even under the new administration, seems reluctant to bring closure to the matter.
It was for this reason that the woman decided to resort to picketing. “I am here today (Thursday) again like so many other days picketing here and other places still trying to get justice for my son…It’s not that I think I deserve this; I know that I deserve justice,” asserted Caseley.
The woman said that Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton, had shown support to her while in the opposition. He had even witnessed her son’s post mortem examination. He was among those who’d encouraged her to take legal action.
Since he assumed office as Minister, Caseley said that Dr. Norton urged that she accept the proposed settlement. But according to the woman, “The Minister is giving the media houses the impression that I am refusing the settlement when in actuality we (Caseley and lawyer) have contacted them indicating that we are going to take the settlement.”
According to Caseley, her lawyer, Mr. Nigel Hughes, had written to the Ministry’s Counsel, Jaya Manickchand, on at least three occasions, informing of her decision.
“I have been trying to contact the Minister on his mobile phone but have not been able to do so,” said Caseley as she disclosed that several attempts to make appointments to meet with the Minister to date have not materialised.
“Before he was in his good office I was able to contact him easily, now I just can’t get through to him…The one time I got through he told me to come in (to his office) and since September 12 (2015) I’ve been trying to actually meet him. October 15 is the day I gave birth to my son, and I am in a lot of distress…and still can’t hear anything.”
“Usually I would be preparing the perfect character for his (birthday) cake but I am not going to stay home and cry today…I decided to try again to see the Minister and still haven’t,” said Caseley as she in the company of one supporter, Suzette Fortune, braved the midday sun to picket outside the Ministry.
According to the employee of Qualfon Guyana, “My washroom and lunch breaks for the past week were spent on the phone trying to make contact with the Ministry of Public Health.”
Caseley is hopeful that her concerns will be seen by the Minister and all relevant officials in hope that necessary actions will be taken to bring closure to the Jaden Mars case.
Caseley is optimistic that closure would not merely mean a settlement being afforded her but she anticipates that efforts will be made to enlighten her about the decisions that were taken to guard against a repeat of the negligence that claimed her son’s life.
“They at least owe me that…I feel as if they are treating me worse than the previous administration now because I had little or no expectation from them,” said Caseley as she recounted how her son’s case was among issues raised on the APNU+AFC campaign trail.
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