News
Clint Chan Tack
THERE were heated verbal exchanges between government and opposition MPs in the House of Representatives on June 21.
This came after Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh accused the opposition of lacking patriotism by claiming there was a malaria outbreak in Trinidad and Tobago.
Later in the session, Deyalsingh said the opposition was guilty of the same offense by saying the ministry was treating hundreds of dengue cases.
In response to a question from Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh regarding a malaria outbreak, Deyalsingh said the question “shows a lack of understanding of what an outbreak is”.
He added that it also speaks to “what we continue to see, the antipatriotism of the UNC.”
Deyalsingh told MPs: “Trinidad and Tobago continues to enjoy malaria-free status, as determined by the WHO (World Health Organisation) since 1965, and tell the international community that there a malaria epidemic is nothing short of unpatriotic. »
He was interrupted as Indarsingh and other opposition MPs shouted inaudible comments at him.
The Prime Minister, Energy Minister Stuart Young, SC, and National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds responded to them as they defended Deyalsingh.
This prompted Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George to call on government and opposition MPs to show restraint.
“Order! Order!” » she declared while the government and opposition deputies exchanged verbally in the precincts of Parliament.
Annisette-George called on Dr Rowley and Indarsingh to stand up and apologize for their comments during the argument.
Rowley told Annisette-George: “I humbly apologize to you and my colleagues, but enough is enough.”
Government MPs knocked on their desks as Rowley sat down.
Indarsingh told Annisette-George: “I apologize but I will not be accused of lying in the public interest.”
Annisette-George said: “I’m just going to warn everyone, because it’s one thing to say the wrong thing is done, but to repeat the wrong thing.”
She reminded MPs that the word “lie” is unparliamentary.
“I know sometimes members are very passionate, but let’s remember where we are. So I will ask everyone to control their emotions and conduct this session the way we know we should behave.”
Annisette-George questioned whether the behavior of some MPs was due to the looming approach of the annual mid-year parliamentary recess which begins in July.
She reminded all MPs that the break had not yet started.
Annisette-George allowed Deyalsingh to continue her response to Indarsingh’s question.
He said: “An outbreak is classified as any significant deviation from a baseline or normal level of infection. »
There have been nine, 14 and 11 confirmed cases of malaria in TT in 2021, 2022 and 2023 respectively.
Deyalsingh said: “That gives you an average of 11 cases (of malaria) per year. »
He added that there have been three confirmed cases of malaria so far this year.
“How the hell can this be an epidemic?”
Deyalsingh said: “Our malaria-free status since 1965 should not be taken lightly by the UNC. Let me further clarify, for the record, addressing the experts, that most, if not all, malaria cases are what you call imported cases. go abroad to countries where malaria is endemic, get bitten by the Anopheles mosquito and bring malaria back to TT.”
He reiterated that this is why the WHO does not classify TT as a “malaria endemic country”.
Government MPs banged their desks as Deyalsingh said: “Reporting on the record (of Parliament) by the UNC that we have a malaria epidemic is false, evil and serves no purpose and, finally, it is unpatriotic. »
Later in the session, Indarsingh asked Deyalsingh to confirm whether the ministry was currently treating hundreds of dengue cases.
Deyalsingh replied: “I wish my friend (Indarsingh) had not gone because, once again, it shows (the UNC’s) anti-patriotism. »
Before citing the official number of dengue cases, Deyalsingh told MPs: “They are not in the hundreds.”
As Indarsingh shouted at him across parliament, Deyalsingh replied: “I’ll give you the date. »
Annisette-George warned Indarsingh.
“I will not tolerate any more epidemics.”
As Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal made an inaudible comment, Annisette-George asked him: “If you would also like me to enlighten you.”
She reminded all MPs: “I stand for all those who do not recognize (this).”
Deyalsingh said that in January, February, March, April and May, there were 17, 13, 19, 31 and 43 laboratory-confirmed dengue cases, respectively.
“A total of 123 over five months. Where does UNC get that from?”
Deyalsingh reminded MPs that the cases he mentioned are laboratory confirmed and not suspected.
“But not the thousands that Couva Sud (Indarsingh) speaks of”
It identified Victoria, Caroni and St Patrick counties as areas of dengue concern.
These counties, Deyalsingh said, reported 29, 31 and 23 percent of dengue cases, respectively.
He added that he had spoken with the Minister of Rural Development and Local Government, Faris Al-Rawi, SC, that local government companies were doing their part to clean the sewers and any stagnant water bodies that could serve as a breeding ground for the Aedes Egypti mosquito which spreads dengue fever. .
Pointe-à-Pierre MP David Lee asked Deyalsingh if the companies’ insect vector control units had been funded to carry out their operations.
Deyalsingh said, “I cannot speak for any other minister. I have communicated with the honorable minister to do his part.”
He reminded MPs that insect vector spraying is an activity used to curb the spread of dengue.
Deyalsingh said the ministry encourages homeowners to do their part to curb the spread of dengue by eliminating all sources of stagnant water in their homes.
He added that water in a bottle cap can contain 100 mosquito eggs.