This Tuesday there was a controversy between the deputy Kayra Harding and the alternate deputy Walkiria Chandler during the appearance of the Deputy Minister of Health, Ivette Berrío, before the Women’s Commission of the National Assembly to answer a questionnaire regarding the situation of children with leishmaniasis in Bocas del Toro and Chiriquí.
During her speech, Chandler asked the deputy minister about some complaints made by several women from the indigenous communities visited about sterilization procedures that were performed on them without their consent.
Immediately, Deputy Harding reacted by emphasizing that the questions that were put to Berrío had to be limited exclusively to the subject of leishmaniasis for which the appearance was being made and told the Vice Minister of Health not to answer the question and proceeded to order the logout.
“Madame deputy, the situation was specifically due to 7 questions of the questionnaire, and you can expand on your questions but based specifically on the topic of leishmaniasis. I share the situation of women in the region… but we have to be respectful and the situation and what officials are prepared for is to talk specifically about leishmaniasis… I’m not going to enter into a debate, Minister don’t answer, another question if not I’m going to close the issue, I’m not going to get into a discussion,” Harding emphasized.
After the session was closed, Harding stated that the subject addressed by the substitute deputy is very important, however, the internal regulations of the Assembly indicate that the subject for which the official is summoned must be adhered to.
For his part, Chandler considered the abrupt way in which Harding closed the debate in the Commission on Women as irresponsible.
“The Assembly should be a house for debates, for discussions, and taking advantage of the fact that we have an authority such as a deputy minister, a discussion should be held, answers should be answered, I am perplexed, this had not happened, it seems to me that these are not the manners, I don’t even understand what just happened… I would like to see more maturity on the part of some colleagues and that emotional intelligence be exercised, “said Chandler.
