VENEZUELA: PROVEA fights health and energy ministries for refusing to release statistics

VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O\'Donoghue

2009-11-02 20:26:47 - Venezuela's oldest human rights group PROVEA has been fighting what seems to be a lost battle over the last few years to access statistics collected by ministries and public institutions.

VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue reports:

On July 3, the organization requested the Health Ministry for statistics about mental health cases and mental health program targets. Program coordinator, Celso Munoz refused verbally and in writing the request to supply figures.

Last month, Provea introduced a legal recourse alleging violation of the articles 51,87 and 147 of the Constitution. PROVEA general

coordinator, Marino Alvarado claims that the culture of secrecy in official institutions is getting worse, making it difficult for researchers to collect and collate statistics ... "the attitude of the public servant doesn't help social comptrollership and greater participation of the people."

PROVEA is also fighting the Energy & Petroleum Ministry for information about the houses based on petroleum and called "petro-houses" built with PCV material, apparently dangerous for health and environment.

According to PROVEA, the ministry has repeatedly ignored or failed to accept notifications about legal procedures introduced into the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) political-administrative chamber.

Alvarado said the Procurator General has been informed of the ministry's denial. Basically, the official policy would appear to be obstruct the release of requested information.

PROVEA produces an annual report on the human rights situation in Venezuela and generally, statistics presented in the report are obtained from newspaper reports and information provided by ministries and public institutions.

The report has been issued on a yearly basis since the late 80s and government sources have not given any answer as why officials are keeping mum about statistics.

Patrick J. O'Donoghue
news.editor@vheadline.com

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