Motion passed for inquiry into northwest gastro-like deaths

The National Assembly last night adopted a motion for the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry (COI) to look into the illness and deaths that occurred in the North West District earlier this year as a result of an outbreak of a gastro-like illness.

Based on the information coming out of the Region, three children, ages two months, seven months and one year died and over 500 residents of Sebai, Canal Bank and Port Kaituma took ill. Opposition Leader David Granger in whose name the motion was brought said that the COI was not only necessary to seek answers as it relates to the cause and finding remedies to prevent a recurrence but also to ascertain if more children had died. He called out several other names stating that it is believed that those children also died as a result of the illness.

Health Minister Bheri Ramsaran, Region One’s ANPU representative Rennita Williams, Minister within the ministry of Local Government Norman Whittaker, AFC’s Valerie Garrido-Lowe, Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai, APNU’s Dr. George Norton, Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy and APNU’s James Bond made presentations on this subject.