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‘Cutting 1st District's monies was bad-mindedness!’ – Hon Andrew A. Fahie

- Seniors transportation back from October 1, 2014 at no cost to them
Re-commencing October 1, 2014 seniors of the First District will once again enjoy the provision of free transportation for clinic visits thanks to their leaders, community members and local businesses. Photo: VINO/File
Hon Fahie said that in the reasoning given for the cutting of the service was because the doctors do home visits the seniors. “That is not so,” said Hon Fahie. He explained that the doctors would visit seniors who are bedridden, “But there are a lot of seniors here that need the transportation to get to the clinic and back. I didn’t do it for a political gain.” Photo: VINO/File
Hon Fahie said that in the reasoning given for the cutting of the service was because the doctors do home visits the seniors. “That is not so,” said Hon Fahie. He explained that the doctors would visit seniors who are bedridden, “But there are a lot of seniors here that need the transportation to get to the clinic and back. I didn’t do it for a political gain.” Photo: VINO/File
Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton had announced the discontinuation of the financing of the service in response to a question put to him in the House of Assembly some weeks ago. Photo: VINO/File
Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton had announced the discontinuation of the financing of the service in response to a question put to him in the House of Assembly some weeks ago. Photo: VINO/File
CARROT BAY, Tortola, VI – Determined to continue to serve the best interest of all the people of the First District, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) and his community spirited people have banded together resulting in seniors receiving free transportation come October 1, 2014 to get to clinics, something that was unjustifiably cut by the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government recently.

“With the help of the community and businesses and your representative our seniors would be getting to the clinic and back and the ministry will not have to pay for it so they can take the money and hire whichever consultant they need to hire, we will use our monies to help our seniors,” he announced. “We got to remember that one of these times we will get old too.”

Re-examining what could have possible led to the government cutting the service from the seniors Hon Fahie said, “I have listened to the answer, I have it at home, I read it over and over to make sense of the answer. $950 was made to sound like it was a world of money."

Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton had announced the discontinuation of the financing of the service in response to a question put to him in the House of Assembly some weeks ago.

“And… you can hear from the tone of my voice it got me angry,” he said, adding that there is no justification for such a decision of the Government. “But I want to make it to heaven so I forgive them. I love them still.”

He said that in the reasoning given for the cutting of the service was because the doctors do home visits the seniors. “That is not so,” said Hon Fahie. He explained that the doctors would visit seniors who are bedridden, “But there are a lot of seniors here that need the transportation to get to the clinic and back. I didn’t do it for a political gain,” he said.

“We are here because of the sweat, the toil of our seniors and I thank them for all that they have done,” he said, to rounds of applause for the seniors.

Alluding to another cut done by the NDP government, the District monies, Hon. Fahie said that he still cannot make sense of the reason given when it was questioned in the House of Assembly in his absence.

“For reasons up to now I can’t understand other than bad mindedness…. It cannot be because of saving money…. I can’t understand they took $2,500 out of the District…. That could have helped do more programmes and help you the people more with things that you need,” said Hon Fahie.

According to Hon Fahie cutting the District’s money was a way to diplomatically handcuff him and to say that he could do more. He explained that while the NDP government would want to say that the cut was for the entire Territory those representatives on their side have ways, legally, that they can get other monies to do certain things in their district.

This he said also applies to the District Representatives on the Opposition side but they are usually given a very hard time in sourcing those funds.

He said that some people’s life is about a vote while his life is about people as for years his focus has been on developing the lives and livelihood of people from the youngest to the oldest especially in the First District, something he credits for the First District having the lowest crime rate in the Territory.

“But there is a reason that we have a low crime rate because your representative can go to the youngest child to the oldest person and liaison with them so we can make sure we catch the young people before they go down the wrong path,” said Hon Fahie.

He said there is always a tendency of those who ‘stick their heads in the sand’ and take it out when elections time comes around like ‘Rip-van-Winkle’. “They were asleep while they were working but they are ready to see if they can get you out so they come awake and because they were sleeping when the work was done they come awake and say he is not doing anything let’s see what we can do to take him out.” 

14 Responses to “‘Cutting 1st District's monies was bad-mindedness!’ – Hon Andrew A. Fahie”

  • ndp (19/09/2014, 09:31) Like (17) Dislike (3) Reply
    Nasty Dirty Politics
    • ooooo (19/09/2014, 11:59) Like (8) Dislike (6) Reply
      No Dont Please (NDP) put them back in.
    • Yes (20/09/2014, 18:46) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
      Andrew boy the heaven thing make me chuckle, I agree with you on this one, but remember they have 80,000.00 salary to pay. smh
  • Yes (19/09/2014, 09:33) Like (14) Dislike (8) Reply
    Nice matured crowd unlike those ndp cowbirds that follow.
    • Meli (19/09/2014, 20:01) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
      For the record, the picture of the "crowd" was NOT taken at the VIP meeting held Wednesday evening, but was taken at a Back to School Motivational event held in August 2013.
  • Concerned (19/09/2014, 09:45) Like (6) Dislike (12) Reply
    I believe that cutting the district money was a subtle way of getting some people off the government's nipples.

    Speaking of nipples (and on another note) it is a crying shame that our youths can comfortably sit at home and watch not only nipples, but breasts (and listen to open profanity and more) on basic TV here. That is WRONG and it needs to be addressed NOW.

    What are we coming to?
  • question (19/09/2014, 09:56) Like (11) Dislike (12) Reply
    How many seniors are being assisted with this? If Ronnie said that his department will provide transportation for the seniors, what is Fahie's problem? Isn't the whole initiative to get the seniors safely to and from the clinic? If Ronnie said his Ministry will do it what's the problem? The real question is, does Fahie care about the seniors getting to and from the clinic or he cares about political grand standing and making sure that he gets the praises? I don't get it. If the Minister said the people will be taken care of then what is the issue? Sit back and see if the Minister keeps his word. These people are crazy.
    • Newtown Mandingo (19/09/2014, 10:39) Like (7) Dislike (4) Reply
      Where have you been? Ronnie stopped the allowance. NO MORE FUNDS FOR TRANSPORTING SENIORS IN THE FIRST DISTRICT TO MEDICAL CLINIC. No more funds means: Zero, Zippo, None, Finito, Nadda, Zinch!
  • weed (19/09/2014, 10:10) Like (9) Dislike (3) Reply
    Not to worry Fahie we will remember this come next election
  • Newtown Mandingo (19/09/2014, 10:15) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
    Who said BVIslanders are one people? This idea of "Town folks VS Country folks"continues to expose its ugly under belly. This poison is disguised as good governance by the government who was elected to represent all the people. Who said the government had the people's interest at heart?
  • chad (19/09/2014, 11:06) Like (13) Dislike (4) Reply
    Hon. Skelton thinks he has all the brains & everyone else ia stupid.
  • tretretrete (19/09/2014, 11:09) Like (9) Dislike (4) Reply
    When will the same man cut the Chinese connection that is competing with & killing alot of local business. This is conflict of interest. A set of hypocrites.
  • OManoah (21/09/2014, 07:51) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    How can one in all seriousness do something to the older generation like that?. Some of these people will push their grandmother in front a moving vehicle for political expediency.
  • Well Sah (23/09/2014, 13:54) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ronnie? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYTHZ4T3r4k
    Wutliss he wutliss dread


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