Injured, but not out
Published:Monday | April 16, 2012 | 12:00 AM
Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter
EAST PORTLAND Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Lynvale Bloomfield has declared that the debilitating hip injury he suffered from a fall in his constituency last month will not prevent him from showing up for sittings of the House.
"If I need to start from the day before to be on time (but) I will make my way there," Bloomfield told The Gleaner last week.
The first-time MP has been out of action since March 29 but said he expects to resume legislative duties by next month.
"I fully intend to be there in whatever shape or form. My constituents have been calling and the outpouring has been tremendous. In order to represent them effectively I think I need to be there to have a voice on their behalf," he said.
During last Tuesday's sitting of the House, Opposition MP Derrick Smith noted that Bloomfield might have difficulty accessing the Parliament building.
"Perhaps it is time the Government looks at continuing the plans that were prepared for a new parliamentary building or improve the current facilities," said Smith.
"There is no point in delaying the inevitable, because the costs keep escalating. A decision must be made at some point in time," he added.
Wheelchair
The call by Smith followed a similar observation made in the Senate by Lambert Brown a week earlier.
Brown has suggested that Dr Bloomfield might require the use of a wheelchair in order to return to Parliament and bemoaned the absence of wheelchair ramps at Gordon House.
Having had surgery to repair his broken hip bone, Bloomfield said rehabilitation and physiotherapy will dictate what medical aid he will require to get around.
"I anticipate that by the beginning of May I should be hopefully on a single crutch. Hopefully, I will be able to inch my way, either by myself or with the help of someone or a stair. But certainly, for the opening of Parliament, I should be around in whatever form I get there."
In the meantime, Bloomfield told The Gleaner that he supports the call for a new parliamentary building but argued that now might not be the right time.
"In terms of the harsh realities of our economic situation, I don't know how far up we are going to go in the very short run given the fact that there are some very serious pressing pursuits that have to be done to try and rescue the country," Bloomfield said.
"I don't know that a parliament building is going to become a priority," he added.
Schedule
Tuesday 10 a.m.
Public Accounts Committee
Tuesday 2 p.m.
Sitting of the House of Representatives
Wednesday 10 a.m.
Public Administration and Appropriations Committee
Wednesday 2 p.m.
Joint Select Committee on Pension Reform
Thursday 10 a.m.
Human Resources and Social Development Committee