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‘Hon Skelton-led committee still examining NHI petition’ – Dr Smith

- further discussion with NHI Concerned Citizens & Residents Group to be done after review
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith has broken weeks of silence on the National Health Insurance (NHI) petition currently being considered by the Government to say the proposals are still being examined. Photo: VINO
Some of the members of the NHI Concerned Citizens and Residents Group. From left are Doug Wheatley, Edmund G. Maduro, Winston E. Nibbs aka La Fontey and Natalio D Wheatley aka Sowande Uhuru. Photo: VINO/File
Some of the members of the NHI Concerned Citizens and Residents Group. From left are Doug Wheatley, Edmund G. Maduro, Winston E. Nibbs aka La Fontey and Natalio D Wheatley aka Sowande Uhuru. Photo: VINO/File
Speaking to this news site yesterday November 22, 2015, Dr Smith said, “The petition has been passed on to the Minister responsible for the NHI Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton and he’s reviewing it. We will have a further discussion when that is finished on the issues that have been presented on the NHI.” Photo: VINO/File
Speaking to this news site yesterday November 22, 2015, Dr Smith said, “The petition has been passed on to the Minister responsible for the NHI Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton and he’s reviewing it. We will have a further discussion when that is finished on the issues that have been presented on the NHI.” Photo: VINO/File
The NHI petition has garnered near to 1,000 signatures. Photo: Provided
The NHI petition has garnered near to 1,000 signatures. Photo: Provided
ROAD TOWN, Tortola VI – Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith has broken weeks of silence on the National Health Insurance (NHI) petition, currently being considered by the Government to say the proposals are still being examined.

Speaking to this news site yesterday November 22, 2015, Dr Smith said, “The petition has been passed on to the Minister responsible for the NHI Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton and he’s reviewing it. We will have a further discussion when that is finished on the issues that have been presented on the NHI.”

He added that there are still “certain things” that have to be looked at before a proper decision can be made.

Dr Smith clarified that while he himself will not be able to make any tweaks to the NHI, the body reviewing it, led by Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton, will be the entity recommending any changes.

Concern over Premier's long silence

Radio talk show host Doug Wheatley expressed concern during his Speak Out BVI show on November 10, 2015 as at that time it was three days shy of one month that the NHI Concerned Citizens and Residents Group submitted its petition to the Premier with no form of feedback.

The NHI Concerned Citizens and Residents Group, which had on October 13, 2015 submitted its petition against the National Health Insurance (NHI), along with a detailed letter, has proposed a number of alternatives which it would like to see Government consider instead of the scheme in the current format.

The letter was signed by the chief actor behind the petition Natalio D. Wheatley aka Sowande Uhuru. The petition eventually garnered close to 1,000 signatures.

Among the issues considered glaring by the Group are that the system as being implemented is mandatory, that the statistical underpinnings upon which the main study was conducted were flawed and gave incorrect figures for the percentages of insured and uninsured persons in the territory, that individuals and families will be affected, that there is a persistent culture of secrecy, and that the economic viability of the system is in question.

The Group is proposing that everyone could be registered under a private coinsurance pool, that the uninsured should be registered and individuals with insurance that is equivalent or superior to the NHI should be exempted. It also proposed that insured persons can be taxed one to two percent of their salary to pay for the uninsured and suggested the expansion of the remit of Social Security.

However, up until yesterday there had not been a word from the Premier.

Need for time to consult acknowledged

“It has been a month since we held that meeting with the Premier and delivered the petition and the covering letter explaining our reasons for our actions. We thought that we would give the Premier adequate time in order to consult given that he would need a lot of consultation,” Wheatley said earlier this month.

“But it is now over four weeks and we’re getting the feeling that by this time the Premier should have has all his ducks lined up and would be in a position to meet with us or give us a letter stating exactly where he and his government stand on the matters that we raised with them.”

13 Responses to “‘Hon Skelton-led committee still examining NHI petition’ – Dr Smith ”

  • zoe (23/11/2015, 08:54) Like (5) Dislike (2) Reply
    Tis a done deal!
  • what all politicians say (23/11/2015, 10:12) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    They're looking into it.
  • wize up (23/11/2015, 10:16) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
    leave doc alone, please
  • Political Observer (23/11/2015, 10:19) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Upfront, it is my view that all VI residents should have access to at least affordable basic quality healthcare. The question is with the BVI's small population what is the most effective vehicle to provide healthcare. A few weeks ago I ran into E. Leonard, an old friend and classmate, and we strike up a conversation about the NHI among other issues. In Leonard's opinion insurance is simply about pooling resources to share in risks and 2) insurance work best with large numbers (the law of large numbers). The larger the pool the more the cost can be spread out. The NHI seems to be an attempt to build as a large a pool among a small population to share in the healthcare cost. Is the NHI perfect?No. Is the NHI the only method to deliver universal care? No. Nonetheless, if it is going to be successful, it will require some tweaking. Another issue that Leonard indicated that is that without NHI or some other similar vehicle taxpayers will pay the cost of the uninsured, ie, someone has to pay the cost for uninsured patients showing at Peebles and receiving care but does not have the ability to pay. Taxpayers.

    Concerning the appointment of Hon Skelton to lead committe to review the the concerns of the group, I'm not too sure that is the best move. The conventional wisdom is that a person who created a problem (not saying that NHI is a problem) is usually not the person ask to fix the problem for he/she is too vested in the issue to be objective. The Hon Skelton is in a difficult situation, for what decision he comes up with will be viewed with a jaundice eye. Perhaps an independent body would have been the better move. Further, will the implementation of the NHI be delayed until after the committee has done its due diligence and reports out? Or as some are suggesting, it is a done deal?
    • The Observer (23/11/2015, 18:56) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Your contribution is as balanced as one could reasonably expect one to be. Unfortunately, you are speaking to a Government the majority of whom are in the final stages of their political career.
  • wow (23/11/2015, 14:06) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    stop trying to fool people you have never changed any of your plans based on the people's complaints and you probably never will, the people got what they voted for
  • cnn (23/11/2015, 22:07) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    election is so far away
  • Quit (23/11/2015, 22:35) Like (3) Dislike (7) Reply
    Time for us to leave the inevitable alone. Focus on our diet and our exercise. NHI is here to stay and it will be successful.. Quit the negativity.
    • Papalin (30/11/2015, 10:22) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      I guess you are one of those who never had insurance that's why you feel that way
  • Amos is in the buidling (24/11/2015, 15:01) Like (0) Dislike (3) Reply
    Don't worry Amos is helping to fix the hospital and NHI, we will be fine.

    http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/jackson-testifies-about-confrontations-with-carty-1.1159522
  • No! (25/11/2015, 19:43) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I haven't seen any politician seriously talking about any issue related to the health sector.....Better late than never.


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