guyanatimesgy.com
SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013
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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, 238 Camp & Quamina Streets, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com
A special group should be appointed for reporting on maternal deaths Dear Editor, Like the head of the presidential (HPS) secretariat, I am not pleased with the sloth with which reports regarding maternal deaths in Guyana are being forwarded for appropriate scrutiny and action, by relevant bodies. The occasion that sparked the response from the HPS is the recent death of a mother and her unborn child at the Georgetown Public Hospital. Whoever holds immediate sway in this matter should mandate for a quick
and detailed report to be submitted. Certain sections of the media have gone haywire with what might have obtained. This again is enough to suggest a little independent look into the incident. It seems as though the government is too lenient on soft people. This can come over as practising some kind favouritism. I call for some deep investigations into these two incidents. If we are talking accountability, then we must
do what is most vital in a democracy. We must respond to cases where one side of, or one party in an issue is being left untended. As for maternal deaths, the vast majority of women, who succumb during pregnancy and childbirth, are usually from the poorest and the most marginalised in society. Maternal mortality involves a complex mixture of clinical, infrastructural and social issues and will require a multifaceted approach if we are to see
meaningful reductions occur. That includes thoughtful attention to appropriate technologies for low-resource countries and careful practices in health institutions. One of the eight millennium development goals of the United Nations (UN) members worldwide is to improve maternal health. Guyana needs to be a positive marker here. Yours sincerely, John Hardine
Distance education is a viable option Dear Editor, Canada has agreed to help Caribbean youths gain greater access to post-secondary education. This will be through a distance learning partnership with the University of the West Indies (UWI). Guyana can tap into this as well. Many people still think that distance education is inferior to regular college programmes. This is not necessarily so and sometimes the reverse can be true. Each situation must be assessed individually.
But this is not my task here in this letter. My aim is to just to show the two sides of this issue. We cannot escape the fact that distance learning comes as a blessing to students, who want to study further, while continuing with jobs, or who might not be able to attend a full-time course for various reasons. In distance learning, there is no direct contact with faculty, there can be over-dependence on technology, there is often lack of discipline, and it can get boring and lonely. Also,
not all desired courses are sometimes available or taught and some programmes are not valued by employers. I guess it boils down to what the individual wants and where he or she is in terms of life’s position. It also has to do with the institution and the students themselves. Many students do their law degree via distance education from London. On the more positive side, distance learning allows greater flexibility, is less costly overall, is con-
venient and students can pace themselves. So I leave the choice to the individuals themselves and only as that they do plenty of research before embarking. Many Guyanese have done their post-grad work at UWI and many have tapped into the university’s distance programmes, of which there are quite a few. I think that some thought along the lines of distance education will be most appropriate. Yours truly, Virgill Vieira
Many bad business practices still prevalent Dear Editor, Bad business practices have become very entrenched in Guyana. I remember a few cases where businesses were raided and expired items were removed and destroyed. There was no word on what was done with those who were guilty of displaying and selling these expired items. I do not know if this campaign has gone into sleep mode, but it would appear so. I still see many entities with expired items and they even have the nerve to display them on special bargains. The Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) is now monitoring the return policy on goods and is seeking to have local businesses comply with the new law. I may never be able to press my legal right as a shopper. This is because many businesses do not issue receipts. I am now wondering what is the VAT issue in these cases. It is a real shame that even many groceries operate with a
mere handwritten list and a calculator. I call on CCAC to start checking on this. It can get even more ridiculous, as some places do not even stick to their advertised business hours. Some of them, on slow days, simply lock up. I want to know what are the applicable rules for these kinds of things. Also, now that CCAC is seeking to educate businesses on the return policy, whereby consumers have up to seven working days to return a purchased item from any store, it should try and inform business owners, proprietors and operators regarding their legal responsibilities to the public. Many of these people think that they are doing the people a big favour. Some of them have little by way of comfort. They sell through a one square foot hole and consumers can barely see where and how items are stored. What I find very annoying is that many consumers are allowing for these kinds of things to take root
in society. They should really challenge when they feel offended or that there is some kind of wrong being committed. They should report on anything untoward. I call on the public to help root out bad habits in businesses. A concerted effort is definitely needed.
Respectfully, Charlene Daley
Why no police action yet in Kitty acid attack? Dear Editor, I am a resident of Kitty and the truthfulness of these statements must be checked out. I am saying this, as regards the acid attack victim, that is, the Kitty woman, who was badly burnt when a corrosive fluid was thrown on her. She has made a number of accusations, and even if these are mere accusations, and they are left uninvestigated, then it looks very bad on the police force, and overall, it paints a bad picture of Guyana. The minister of home affairs recently chided the Guyana Police Force for some sloppy work. He also mandated investigations regarding torture at some of the prisons. So, to be on the safe side, if I were at the helm of any of the subsidiary levels in the force, and this current issue happens to come under my pur-
view, then I would get going on this case. The matter calls for some investigation and also it warrants a response from the force. Over the last weekend, I did notice a lot of police, biking around and I really felt good. Police must be allowed to do their work. I wish we can have enough personnel to traverse the land as much as possible. The presence of these officers in uniform is really a deterrent where crimes are concerned. If this noise-making accusation in Kitty is causing a problem, then the police on patrols should verify it. I am really looking forward for more explanations. In the meantime, I would like to live in peace and harmony with my neighbours and everyone in Kitty. Yours respectfully, Name withheld
Should bail be allowed for rape suspects? Dear Editor, Should an alleged child rapist be allowed out on bail? This is a stirring question all over the world. In England, a man late last month who was accused of raping a five-yearold girl was handed a bail reprieve. He later, while out on bail, was accused of raping a three-year-old girl. In Guyana, a farmer who allegedly raped his 13-yearold stepdaughter was arrested, but then released from custody without any charge being instituted. In this case, a doctor examined the victim, a first form student and confirmed
that she was sexually violated. The police have sent the file to the director of public prosecutions for advice. There is a second set of evidence that is worth looking at. The girl’s younger brother is probably truthful when he said that he witnessed the ordeal. It is time that some kind of legislation be put in place to protect these young ladies. We may want to blame the mothers of these children, but they may not be at fault at all. Yours faithfully, Simone French