Govt medical assistance "an exercise of discretion" – Dr Luncheon

Neither is medical support extended by Government selectively nor rule-based was the categorical assertion

Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon

of Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon, when he hosted the most recent post Cabinet press briefing at Office of the President (OP) yesterday.
The Government spokesman made it clear that such undertakings are in fact “an exercise of discretion…”

His remarks on this state of affairs, was prompted by recent reports circulating in the media and on the internet, of sizeable sums being expended by Government to fund medical expenses for a number of individuals.

Attention was particularly focused on the several Government officials and their family members who accessed this service.

But according to Dr Luncheon yesterday, “There are many ways in which one can view this matter but I can dispose of the mischief…”

He spoke of “collusion” between Kaieteur News and Stabroek News in seeking to bring this to the public’s attention in a specific way.”  However, while Stabroek News reported based on a circulated list of those who benefited from medical assistance from Government, with specific focus on some individuals, Kaieteur News had stayed clear from this approach, save and except, for an opinion piece by its Editor In Chief, Adam Harris, and a cartoon, both of which were published in the last Sunday’s Edition.

But according to Dr Luncheon, “I can indeed attest unquestionably about the involvement of these two newspapers.”

Former APNU Member of Parliament, Deborah Backer

He qualified his remarks by adding, “I can attest to that and I will defy the reporter and Mr Glenn Lall to insist that they were not involved, but that is neither here or there…” He went on to speak of having evidence of his assertion.

When asked by Harris to provide the evidence, the Cabinet Secretary retorted by disclosing that he was informed of a “Kaieteur News reporter who reached out to a Cabinet Member by phone on this self same issue, a conversation that was interrupted by Mr Glenn Lall during the Minister’s attempt to respond to the reporter.”

He admitted that while Kaieteur News was not the medium through which the issue of the medical assistance was brought to the attention of the public, he is convinced that “a mechanism exists for passing on the baton to Stabroek News…”

As he commented on the matter, further, Dr Luncheon explained that the availability of the service is one that has essentially happened over decades. He noted that while it is unfortunate that the service is one that is not included in the constitution, it is a condition of service afforded to Cabinet Members and other individuals to take care of their health expenses.

“This condition of service is not a new concept; it is indeed applicable to all public officers, all our representatives abroad, and diplomatic missions also…” said Dr Luncheon.

He added that if the laws of Guyana are examined “one would not find, save and except for the former President, and we all know the effort by this PPP/C (People’s Progressive Party/Civic) Administration to convert custom and practice to a rule-based, starting with the president, what kind of receptions it has received.”

As he emphasised that the service was offered even ahead of the PPP/C Administration, the Cabinet Secretary highlighted that “these benefits indeed extend beyond Members of Cabinet to all in sundry, particularly Members of Parliament, particularly members of the opposition…”

He went as far to defy any Member of Parliament to maliciously repeat utterances by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU')s Attorney at Law, Basil Williams. Williams’s contention is that the Government did not afford certain opposition members the medical assistance support.

But Dr Luncheon in referencing Williams’s utterances noted that “fortunate, I must say, he has not been afflicted with health considerations that would have seen him indeed accessing this facility. I defy him to say that he is unaware that this facility has not been extended to the legions of parliamentarians, members of their families for emergency considerations.”
The medical assistance service, Dr Luncheon added too, has been well chronicled and “indeed we can produce from the beginning of the PPP/C, every single recipient who has enjoyed access of this facility.”

Meanwhile, he sought to clarify what he termed an error concerning former APNU Member of Parliament, Deborah Backer, as it relates to medical assistance. Dr Luncheon recalled that while hospitalised President, Donald Ramotar, had visited Backer and had given instructions for the medical assistance to be extended to her.

However, this instruction was not adhered to, Dr Luncheon informed, as he disclosed that “the Speaker offered me in a private meeting, held in the presence of the Clerk, why nothing came of that offer…”

However, based on prompting from the leader of the parliamentary opposition, David Granger, an offer has since been made to compensate, though belatedly, for the expenses incurred during Backer’s illness. This offer, according to Dr Luncheon, is being considered “in the context of OP’s access to public financing in the face of no budget, no Appropriation Act and the dissolution of parliament.”