Deyalsingh sad about Bodoe's dengue vehicle claims

HEALTH Minister Terrence Deyalsingh says he is disappointed by Fyzabad MP Dr Lackram Bodoe's claims that people seeking a second-hand vehicle could acquire one from the ministry's insect vector control division (IVCD).

Deyalsingh made his comment at a meeting of the Standing Finance Committee meeting of the House of Representatives on October 11, before it approved a $6,704,077,000 allocation to his ministry.

Bodoe made his claims during the budget debate in the House on October 10.

In response, Deyalsingh said he was sad Bodoe had done so.

"In 2024, we purchased six new vehicles (for the IVCD) and it was unfortunate that the member (Bodoe) said that if you want a cheap vehicle to buy, go down there and for $2,000 you will get a vehicle.

"That is heaping scorn on the good people who operate these six new vehicles that we bought in fiscal 2024."

He added that buying these vehicles meant further expenditure in this area was not required.

Deyalsingh said these vehicles were used in the fight against dengue.

Caroni East MP Dr Rishad Seecheran asked what kinds of vehicles they were.

Deyalsingh said they were pick-up trucks and "we put the foggers on the tray to move around in the communities."

In response to a question from Chaguanas East MP Vandana Mohit, Deyalsingh said the IVCD has a total of 26 vehicles, all of which are working.

The IVCD, he continued, has He47 hand-held foggers and eight ultra-low-volume fogging machines.

He told MPs there are plans to buy 20 more of the former and 20 of the latter next year.

After the committee approved the ministry's allocation, committee chairman Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George complimented government and opposition MPs for the civility they showed each other in efficiently dispensing with this allocation.

She hoped this would continue during the next five days, during which the committee will examine other budgetary allocations.

Annisette-George said, "Let's hope that what we gain on the straight road, we don't lose at the roundabout."