7 News Belize

PM Musa Tells Mother of Sick Child To Rely on Prayers
posted (July 5, 2007)

Yesterday we showed you a hostile crowd of disgruntled Ralph Fonseca supporters at the Belize Rural Central Divisional office in Ladyville. Pauline Goodin was one of those in line, who also went home without being seen. And while everyone has a complaint, hers is different. Her daughter Shanice Dixon has a condition known as aplastic anemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. A doctor in Merida has told her that it will cost US$$50,000. It's a tall order and she says she's been asking the political leaders to just help her with something but to no avail.

Pauline Goodin, Mother of Sick Child
"Aplastic anemia, she fell sick from the 18th of March of this year. I went to Social Security, I went to Ministry of Health. I went to the Prime Minister last week Wednesday. He looked at me and told me that how it is a helpless case and for me to just make my daughter dead (die) and that how government doesn't have any kind of money to help me. I told him I don't want them to give me all the money but as the Prime Minister, I asked him to help me. He told he had a stressful week and a lot of thing and he can't help me.

Okay I went to Mr. Ralph Fonseca. He told me come to his office this morning. When I showed up from six o'clock waiting, the secretary looked at me and told me he can't see me. He told me he would try and help me get my daughter to Cuba. All I want is for him to help me get my daughter to Cuba so my daughter can get the help she needs. I am not asking everybody to give me all the money but I am just asking for them to help me so I can try and help my daughter.

I am not picking on anybody because it is not their responsibility but at least I am asking for help."

Anyone wishing to assist can call 604-6558. Government Director of Information Nuri Mohammed today confirmed that the Prime Minister says he did speak to her. But, Mohammed says, the Prime Minister did not tell her to leave the child to die. He says he told her it's a very serious illness that is sometimes fatal and said, and we're quoting Mohammed quoting the PM here, "maybe we need to rely on prayers at this time."

But still the PM did tell her to come see him at his office on Monday. She did, and he says that's when he found out that Social Security had already helped her with $3,000. Still, he gave her a recommendation note to get more from Social Security and Pauline Goodin confirms that side of the story. She says she left the PM's note at the Social Security office and is waiting for a response. Still, she says she doubts she'll get it because Social Security had already advised her that they can only help once. And that's what she says she told the PM, and he told her that's all he can do.

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