Life expectancy also depends on access to nutritional food and other goods and services

Jun 06, 2024 Letters

Dear Editor
Reference is made to a letter written by Dr. Leslie Ramsammy in response to my letter on the subject of life expectancy in Guyana (KN 5- 30-2024), and I would like to make the following observations.

First, in Dr. Ramsammy’s letter, he stated that ‘At the moment, Guyana’s life expectancy is approaching 71(years)…’. (and) … at the present pace, between 2025 and 2030, Guyana will, at the minimum, be similar to other Caribbean countries, if not better than many countries, when it comes to life expectancies.’ I would contend that approaching something does not mean you are there and you have attained it.

For example, the minibus is approaching the bus stop; or the batsman is on 43 and is approaching 50. The question is: Has the minibus arrived at the bus stop; or is the batsman on 50? Clearly, the answer is no! So, Dr. Ramsammy, please stop playing around with words; and let the professional people in the Department do their job; for they must provide complete and unbiased evidence. And in this regard, I strongly recommend that Dr. Ramsammy study and internalize the professional responsibilities of a public servant as explained by Dr. Annand Goolsarran in his Stabroek News article of May 20, 2024, where he states, among other things, that core responsibilities of a public/civil servant must include ‘…providing advice based on evidence, including expert or professional advice;’. Dr. Ramsammy has provided no such evidence but only implausible conjecture that should not be published or sent to any President’s desk.

Second, while Dr. Ramsammy acknowledges that’…Guyana is still below the global average for life expectancy (73.4 years), ’he then advances another hypothetical in which he forecasts that ’Guyana has set a target for 2030 to be once again above the global average for life expectancy…’ Undoubtedly, this would be very good for Guyana; but Editor, may I ask Dr. Ramsammy to publish what is the projected global average for life expectancy in 2030; and what is the projected average life expectancy for Guyana in 2030? Such forecasting knowledge by Dr. Ramsammy of the world life expectancy six years into the future would be pathbreaking, as he would be outperforming the work by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international Agencies on these life matters.

In 2023, the World, CARICOM and Guyana average life expectancy was 73.4 years, 74.2 years, and Guyana 69.8 years, respectively. In 1950, the Guyana average life expectancy was 49.5 years and in 2023 it was 69.8 years. This is a period of 73 years, with a marginal increase over this period of just 20.3 years (See: https://www.worldometers.info/demographics/guyana-demographics/#life-exp). Consequently, the change over this period of several decades is incrementally small; and therefore, life expectancy progress cannot be overstated.

Finally, life expectancy not only depends on good and the timely access to health care, but it also depends on access to nutritional food and other goods and services. Editor, I addressed these matters in my letter of May 30, 2024, but Dr. Ramsammy’s obvious conjecture took his attention elsewhere, as he unfortunately sought to impress his supervisors.

Sincerely,
Dr. C. Kenrick Hunte
Professor and Former Ambassador

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CARICOM and Guyana, Dr. Annand Goolsarran, Dr. C. Kenrick Hunte Professor and Former Ambassador, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, the World

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