St George's, Grenada: The Grenada government has voted against an opposition motion calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the recent shortage of oxygen and other critical supplies at the island's main hospital. The Keith Mitchell administration used its slender one seat majority to vote against the motion, tabled by the Leader of the Opposition, Tillman Thomas. According to Thomas, the inquiry was intended to establish whether or not there was a shortage of oxygen and the circumstances, which led to the shortage. The motion, defeated by an 8-7 margin, had called for the inquiry to be conducted by a joint committee of the Houses of Parliament. "The inquiry seeks to establish whether or not there was, is and likely to be a shortage of oxygen; the circumstances which led to the shortage and the consequences which flowed there from, and to determine and establish other areas of shortages in the hospital including staffing and manpower levels and to make recommendations to correct the situation," Thomas told legislators. However, former health minister Claris Modeste-Curwen, says there was no need for an inquiry since the situation has been normalised. "I don't think that this is timely motion and I can't in all honesty support this motion," Modeste-Curwen said. "I do agree with some of the things that he has said but there are some areas in which he was misled." Modeste-Curwen said that the opposition should attempt to work with government in improving situation at the hospital. "Instead of an investigation perhaps he (Thomas) should say let is see how we could improve on that, how we can attract more of our people to stay at the hospital," she said. Earlier this year, the island's main hospital experienced a shortage of oxygen and supplies were sought from Trinidad and Tobago after the lone oxygen plant on the island was damaged by Hurricane Ivan last September. Source: Caribbean Media Corporation news agency, Bridgetown