MINISTER MANUEL HEREDIA RESPONDS TO ISLANDERS' CONCERNS

April 29, 2011

A mother lost her child on Ambergris Caye on Thursday due to the lack of proper and adequate health facility and transportation off the island. The issue has caused uproar amongst the island's population and today the Area Representative met with media on the island.

Jorge Aldana reporting....

"In a knitted community like San Pedro Town, where everyone practically knows everyone, what affects one family affects the community. Such was the case when a mother lost her unborn child due to the lack of a proper and adequate health facility on Ambergris Caye. It's another wake-up call for the elected officials and today, that was the sentiment that dominated the local airwaves. It's a situation that needs urgent attention. In an early morning press conference Area Representative Manuel Heredia lamented the incident and said that he is prepared to take the matter once more to Cabinet to avoid such occurrences to ever happen again.

Manuel Heredia - Area Representative, Belize Rural South

"It is my duty to really look into the matter because I can recall that when BATSUB had announced that it would be leaving Belize we knew that there will be problems if we did not have their assistance and I can recall that it was mentioned in Cabinet and that we were going to look into the possibilities at what other arrangements can be made not only for San Pedro and Caye Caulker but also down south which is remote areas of the south. I feel that steps are being taken. I do not know, but I will speak to the Minister responsible for Health and Defence and see what is the latest on that because if that is the case then something urgent needs to be done so this type of incident not to occur again. Any life that is lost is something serious. San Pedro is a very united community and when an incident of this nature happens it is the talk of the island and it truly hurts everybody including myself. Whoever loses a child particularly in this manner, probably if it is for transportation or inadequate equipment then I have to make sure that I look seriously into both areas, better facility which I am sure by July we can have extended hours. I think it will be more doctors, more nurses. If we have difficulty trying to get air lift services then our duty is to make sure that we do everything we can to equip our local poly clinic to the extent, probably upgrade it to a hospital because we are isolated from any other area, it is a big town, and we are becoming one of the biggest. We should be given the priority and the assistance that we deserve."

Again Minister Heredia assured the island residents that he will take the matter to the next Cabinet meeting for urgent attention.

LOVEFM