My views on the parking meter project and nursing school

Mar 26, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
I would like to discuss two issues. The parking meter project brings up many interesting matters. To begin with this business was not properly thought out. To my mind, the proponents of the project should have taken time to properly sort out the many issues which would normally affect such a business.
I had previously written about the condition of the parapets and some roadways. I am not sure if that letter was published. The engineering concerns apart, much is still needed to be done to make this project safe for its users. I speak in the present tense since the project is not scrapped. A major concern is the fact that the agreement speaks to the prohibition of persons using their private property as parking places. They are required to first seek permission from SCS and maybe even pay tribute before such a project can proceed. The proposed competition laws and regulations of this land speak to the dismantling of monopoly entities.
Then again there are certain public roads over which the ‘Chief Roads Officer” has control and over which the City has no general jurisdiction. The punitive part of the agreement is excessive and I doubt whether a Guyanese Judge would rule in such favour. To me this whole affair needs a redo and the earlier that City Hall gets down to it the better it would be for all of us. In a word much of the contract seems to be against public policy.
I come now to the second issue. I am disturbed by the recent events impacting the nursing students nationwide. I verily believe that they have been had by sinister elements in the government services. I was able to speak late last year to some of the students concerned. One very pregnant student, who is married, was very distraught at the fact that she would have to endure a resit. She felt that she was hovering around the borders of her life. That life wouldn’t matter anymore if she were forced to do the resit. I was able to console this young woman and encourage her to continue with her studies and give it her best shot.
My impression of the nursing school from a frontal view is that this institution is not quite fit for study. Class size is about 50 plus. How then can a lecturer be effective in delivery if the classes are so large? Right away my mind went back to the late 60’s and 70’s when I lectured at the GTI and the GITC. To my mind it is well nigh impossible to be able to successfully conduct technical classes of such burgeoning sizes.
I would like to say to the Hon. Minister of Public Health that there is need to take a keen look at the delivery of nursing education. We just simply need to employ more skilled tutors and thus reduce the class sizes. Also students need more modern facilities inclusive of computer labs and libraries. I would recommend that nursing students be given laptops from the laptop program. This would greatly assist them in their endeavours.
On another matter I feel that if the GPHC can be allowed to work with two-thirds of its nursing staff authorized strength we cannot expect better services from nurses and their supervisors. The poor matron is only being given a basket to fetch water.
Cyril Walker

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