Dr. Karen Cummings was wrong on several fronts

Feb 10, 2022 Letters

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Dear Editor

Kaieteur News – The Honourable Opposition Member of Parliament, Shadow Minister of Health, Dr. Karen Cummings, made a number of serious but absurd allegations and fictitious and damaging claims during her Budget 2022 presentation.
She noted that her party believes that the proposed location for the six new hospitals (Anna Regina, Region Two; Tuschen, Region Three; Diamond & Enmore, Region Four; Bath Settlement, Region Six; and No. 75 Village, Region Six) is being done based on voter population. Dr. Frank Anthony, the Minister of Health, was quick on his feet to dunk her figment of a wild imagination and vociferously defended the Government’s decision for the proposed sites that were chosen based on the population size increase in the region and that people must have easy access to healthcare services.
Dr. Anthony elaborated on the additional facilities which would be equipped with their own CT scans, digital x-rays, ultra sound machines and modernized laboratories and that all devices will be internet enabled. He explained that people should not have to travel from all parts of the country to come to Georgetown to get access to these services. He also highlighted that the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation has always been seen as the national referral hospital but sometimes be referred to as a regional hospital in the region. “We want to change that. We want to ensure that Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation remains a National Referral Hospital and do the complicated cases,” he said. As one published letter write noted, “As Guyanese, we need to widen our vistas beyond narrow political patronage. Forward together, Guyana.” Minister Gail Teixeira did say Guyana will not be taken backward by the PPP/C Government.
Dr. Karen Cummings also asserted in her speech that, “In addition, significant disparities along ethnic lines at the surgical departments at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and within the surgical training programs, needs to be addressed. Hon. Member and Minister of Health, you know these folks tell me these things and I think this is the forum for me to tell you. It has been alleged that young black doctors who are aspiring to be surgeons, are unlikely to get into surgical residency programs, not because of a lack of intellect but because they might not be of the right race.
To this end and to confront and remedy this issue, we are asking for a race disparity and remuneration audit into the admitting of residents, and the hiring of registrars be it junior and senior consultants. As the shadow Minister of Health, I am going somewhere, and I am telling it as it is. I am feeling it is because of a certain section of populace.”
This claim has been vehemently refuted by the Administration at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and its management categorically stated that, there is absolutely no foundation for any such aspersion on the dignity of the Hospital. There is no discrimination practiced in any hiring process and, in addition, no group or people are singled out for any of its training programs are given priority over others. This allegation is baseless and therefore, it must be seen to have ulterior motive to satisfy another political agenda at the expense of the GPHC, which is being used as a tool to achieve this motive. This allegation is an attempt to malign the credibility of GPHC and to obstruct the smooth function of the organization in an effort to create a rift between management and staff.
As reported, the Hospital said, “We wish to clarify that the process for selection for all of the postgraduate programmes offered by the GPHC through the Institute for Health Science Education (IHSE) are solely merit based and overseen by a diverse selection panel which comprises of esteemed personnel from various entities including the University of Guyana and some international partners.”
The Hospital also “boasts a competitive surgical programme with a rigorous application process that requires that the applicant satisfy multiple requirements prior to admission. At no stage of this process is information related to the race of the applicant requested or considered by the IHSE or the GPHC.” Will Dr. Cummings provide the necessary proof to substantiate her allegations? The Hospital invited her to comply. How interesting (amusing?) to learn that since 2015, the IHSE has admitted 33 successful applicants, including the last intake of 6 applicants in May 2020 into its post-graduate programme, it was a period when Dr. Cummings was a Minister in the Ministry of Health and then in Foreign Affairs, representing her Party which was in power. Does the Honorable Member of Parliament have something to reveal? A guilty conscience speaks louder than words!
Guyana will not forget the March 5th, 2020 General Election embarrassing episode when, the very Dr. Karen Cummings, then Foreign Affairs Minister, visited GECOM’s Command Centre where she met with members of the International Observer Mission and issued a threat to revoke their accreditation. The observers expressed their disappointment that she would sink to such levels, noting that, they would not allow the respective bodies they represent to be disrespected and asked that she take her leave. The then APNU/AFC Government had to apologise to the international observers to save their face, all because of her (power-drunk?) attitude.
Respectfully,
Jai Lall

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