Rahael gets Senate ‘medical’ tomorrow

THE “political health” of John Rahael will be tested in the Senate today when he will be called upon to answer three health questions from UNC chairman and Senate Minority Leader Wade Mark.

Mark will ask the new Health Minister to inform the Senate about the operational status of the Emergency Health Service (EHS) ambulance fleet, provide information about the current nursing establishment in Trinidad and Tobago and whether Government will increase the number of medical scholarships offered to persons who are desirous of “pursuing medicine and other spheres of medical training.” When the EHS issue was raised earlier this year, former Health Minister Colm Imbert condemned the UNC for buying second-hand ambulances for the EHS and running the system into the ground. Imbert pledged Government’s commitment to buy 40 brand new ambulances for the EHS and last Thursday, Rahael made good on Imbert’s pledge by signing an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the procurement of those ambulances at a cost of $18.5 million. Seven of these ambulances will arrive next month with the remaining 33 to follow on a monthly basis. Rahael indicated there is a clause in this agreement to look after the maintenance of these ambulances because this was not done under the former regime.  The Minister said that task will be undertaken by Sterling Services Ltd and these new ambulances will be “fully outfitted to render health care.”

The UNC will also ask Planning Minister Camille Robinson-Regis about the total monies spent to date in connection with the formulation of Government’s Vision 2020 plan. Attorney General John Jeremie returns with a briefcase full of bills for a second reading, including legislation to implement the Caribbean Court of Justice as TT’s final appellate court and amend the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act. Mark will also present a motion in the Senate, calling upon the Upper House to reaffirm its commitment to “the elimination of discrimination and equality of treatment from public authorities.”  A similar motion was laid in the Lower House one week ago by St Joseph MP Gerald Yetming. The UNC has charged that “ethnic cleansing” at Petrotrin is but one instance which proves that the PNM has institutionalised discrimination since returning to office in December 2001. UNC allegations against Petrotrin were fuelled by the publication of a “hit list” containing the names of managers of East Indian descent who are currently employed at the company and were described in the list  as “UNC activists.” Petrotrin executive chairman Malcolm Jones said while some persons on that list were reclassified, none were dismissed.