B&F Medical not signing on to NHI now – Alred C. Frett
Mr Frett was part of the audience at the contract signing between Government and JIPA Network on October 1, 2015 where Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton had acknowledged Mr Frett’s presence while noting that he was confident B&F Medical Complex would join the team of private medical institutions that have signed on so far.
However, in an interview with this news site moments after the signing ceremony, Mr Frett said he is not prepared to sign on to NHI as a health care provider as he has been seeking certain information and answers from senior officials of the NHI team to no avail.
“The simple fact is that I always say without apology, our company belongs to the staff and the public, if they decide they want to go this way I am just the person to initial it or otherwise. We are still giving it some thought because we want to make sure that when we sign on to something we fully understand the pros and cons.”
Mr Frett said B&F Medical does not intend to follow fashion just to look good. “We want to sign because it is good,” he stated.
Many questions unanswered
Asked if he is now convinced that NHI is a good thing, Mr Frett responded, “I have many questions unanswered,” Mr Frett replied, noting that he has been asking those questions publicly and via his columns on this and other news sites and via the airwaves. “And to some of the persons so involved like Mr Barry (Mr Roy N. Barry) and the answers, they are still lacking. They still need to be fleshed out some more.”
“But right now I have unanswered questions and I am still waiting to get those answered and see how it’s going to benefit from what I have heard today, that’s the bottom line for me.”
Mr Frett's concerns have been shared by several in the territory, including other commentators, the Insurance Association of the BVI and many individuals who have been expressing their disgust in not getting satisfactory answers to questions.
Most of them, especially via a circulated petition, are calling on Government to return to the drawing board to reassess certain aspects of NHI. And while that petition has not, up to press time, reached the hands of Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith, Hon Skelton has indicated that any further decision as it relates to going back to the drawing table is up to Premier Smith.
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