President’s decision to seek treatment overseas appropriate

Dear Editor,

Allow me to briefly respond to recent discourse in Stabroek News and other publications regarding President Granger’s diagnosis. I’ve noticed several Guyanese pundits singing a similar tune being: why doesn’t the president choose to receive treatment in Guyana like all others who have access to less financial resources. Editor it goes without saying that Guyana performs abysmally in almost every global health index. Everything considered, I’d like to contribute a personal story which should further shed light on the honourable president’s decision.

Wilson-Raybould to discuss the SNC-Lavalin case. As Attorney General she could have directed the Prosecution Service to negotiate a settlement. Trudeau, later says that when the AG asked him if he was going to direct her on what to do, he informed her that the final decision was her own to make. On September 21, the remediation agreement came into legal effect and on 21 October, the Prosecution Service informed SNC-Lavalin in writing that it would not be negotiating an agreement. SNC-Lavalin currently has an ongoing to challenge to it in Federal Court. In mid-January, Trudeau shuffled his cabinet, following the resignation of Treasury Board President Scott Brison and Wilson-Raybould was shifted from Justice to Veterans Affairs, a move which was widely viewed as a demotion. David Lametti, a Montreal MP and former law professor, was appointed as Justice Minister. The Globe and Mail newspaper, on 7 February, citing unnamed sources reported that Trudeau’s aides had attempted to press Wilson-Raybould, whilst she was attorney general, to intervene in the prosecution of SNC-Lavalin, and that exasperation with her lack of co-operation was one reason why she was removed from the justice portfolio. Trudeau immediately denied any impropriety and Wilson-Raybould stated that solicitor-client privilege prevented her from speaking about dealings she had on the case whilst attorney general. Five days later, Wilson-Raybould resigned as Veterans Affairs Minister, one day after the Ethics Commissioner announced that he was beginning an investigation. Fast forward to last week Wednesday, when Wilson-Raybould, who had previously retained the services of the former Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell to advise her on the limits of solicitor-client privilege delivered bombshell testimony before the House of Commons Justice Committee on Parliament Hill. (Trudeau had partly waived both solicitor-client privilege and cabinet

Some time back, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma for which I was treated in Canada with chemotherapy and radiation and was afterwards deemed as being in remission. Importantly, this is not to be conflated with the president’s illness which is NonHodgkin’s Lymphoma. Thereafter, I went for a checkup at CIG (Cancer Institute of Guyana) and the oncologist after seeing previous scans done in Toronto and an updated scan at the CIG, related to me that the cancer had metastasized. After hearing this devastating news, I quickly traveled back to Canada anticipating that my

Canadian oncologist would recommend something along the lines of bone marrow and/or immunotherapy treatment. Yet to my total confoundment, he looked at the exact same scans that were done in Guyana and proclaimed that I was still in remission. What’s even more astonishing was that he made this diagnosis after scanning all the images within 5-7 minutes. I implored him to do another scan right after hearing this revelation and his scan essentially mirrored that of the one done at the CIG. In other words, both doctors had access to the exact same CT scans!

Editor, I am by no means, overlooking the good work that the CIG and its medical director from India, Dr. Chakraborty has done for the Guyanese people. On the other hand, it is truly, an asinine notion that President Granger should receive his cancer treatment in Guyana. I believe I speak on behalf of all Guyanese when I say God’s blessings to the honourable President in his fight against cancer. Yours faithfully,

(Name and address provided)