‘Increase is a must!’ – BVIHSA Chairman John I. Cline
Based on a gazette document dated July 17, 2014 the increased fees have been approved and set since earlier this year yet this was never shared with residents prior to Monday night November 3, 2014 during a call in radio programme when it was put to the Minister of Health and Social Development Hon Ronnie W. Skelton. This news site understands that there might have been some modification done to that document since.
“We have not paid the BVI Electricity Corporation for probably over a year and that bill stands now at over two million dollars. So we don’t even have enough monies to pay all of our bills,” Bishop Cline told this news site last evening November 4, 2014 during a telephone interview.
He also revealed that twice this year, they had to take the decision to close the hospital laboratory and send patients elsewhere for certain procedures because the hospital could not pay their creditors for laboratory supplies.
“Sometimes we are out of medications because we cannot pay the suppliers for some pharmaceuticals. Not because of any other reason but we just don’t have the money to pay them and order new stock,” he said.
The Board Chairman said that raising the fees is something they wish they did not have to do but the decades old fees which have not changed since the 1960s cannot continue. “But it doesn’t matter who comes it has to be done or else the level of care at the Peebles Hospital will decrease,” he said.
Bishop Cline has always been an advocate for better financing of the health services especially that of the Peebles Hospital. Hon Skelton had no choice to admit that fees were being increased after the caller put it to him.
Responding to the question as to how soon this new fee structure is likely to take effect Bishop Cline said that while that decision is not his he feels it has to be very soon. “I wouldn’t say it has to be immediately but I will say that it has to be soon.”
Asked if he anticipates it coming into effect before the end of the year, he responded, “That would be my preference but it’s not my call, it’s the Ministry’s call.”
Apparently the increase has been set since July of this year but was never brought to the fore to the public’s knowledge prior to Monday night’s programme. Bishop Cline said that there has been an approval of increase by Cabinet, “But those fees were not yet implemented, it has been decided yes, but in terms of when the new fees will go into effect a date has not been fully decided.”
Asked about the percentage of increase on the fees the Health Services Board Chairman said that they did not approach the increase from a percentage standpoint. “With the new fees the cost of health care being delivered will still not be covered. We are just trying to help to improve the financial viability of the organization and this is the way it has to be done…to increase fees,” said Chairman Cline.
He said that they appreciate all the donations that have and continue to be made to the new hospital for new equipment and other things. He said too that the operations of the new Peebles Hospital will increase by about 35%. “And right now we are not even operating on the budget that BVIHSA needs. We are just operating with what government gives us. So it’s a difficult position but people of the British Virgin Islands must come to the place where they know they will have to pay more for health care,” said Bishop Cline.
.png)
Follow Us On
20 Responses to “‘Increase is a must!’ – BVIHSA Chairman John I. Cline”
Its a lot more the NDP can't do..shouldn't be doing..and doing that's not known as yet... Leadership and body MUST GO.. Not necessarily VIP but put in people who genuinely care about this Country and its people than fattening their pockets with the tax payors $. NDP goes all others under its government will be moved as well...
The first thing the NDP will get clear is that the people will vote them out come election day. Not opposing increases but they must be reasonable and be in compliance with what people are being paid. While government have increased their services, they have not increased civil servants salaries or made change to the minimum wage. Exorbitant increases have come under this government. Passport from $40 to $125, Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates from $3.00 to $xxx. Cline, Baptiste-Carty and Ronnie don't need Peebles so whatever they do, good or bad, we the people have to suck it.
How many request and donations do we here going towards the cruise ship expansion and other capital and wasteoftime projects. As much as I am not against people donating to the hospital or aiding in any way that they feel led to, why on earth would it take donations from the community and citizens to furnish and equip the hospital whilst big time money is being spent else where. Let H... brother-in-law and all who got the millions come back and give back. NDP shall go come election day (according to my 1 vote)
Increasing fees before the fabled National Health Insurance is just idiocy out of the mouth of a man who should have never been the Chairman of the board with all his conflicts of interest.
Increasing fees and begging to pay for exorbitant salaries and bonuses for executives and hiring heaps of children for that Duff's Bottom Institution.
When will this nonsense end?
it's not hard to do & only takes 2-3 months. Think out the box BVI
No mention of the unaccounted government subvention for 20 plus million each year. When last have we seen audited financials? time to get the Auditor General to find out what is really going on with all these millions of "unaccounted" dollars, and to investigate some of these "contracts and consultancies" at the HSA
SMDH - NDP got to go
If you ask me the Minister needs to start cleaning up the board starting with the Chairman and clean up the executives especially big bird and company.
Suppliers have been paid, electricity bill has not been paid, but I bet Infinite Solution has been double paid and the 3 top management collect their hefty salaries at the end of every month. It needs a proper investigation at BVIHSA, but for the life of me I wonder why our government, Minister of Health, Governor cannot see this is urgently needed. The public is calling for an inquiry and the ministers who are to do our wish have been ignoring this call for years. My x will speak for me next election year. I am just so disappointed that I have no one to vote for neither NDP or VIP. As far as I am concerned all the ministers have disappointed me and if I had the power I would fire them from the Chief to the bottle washer. INCOMPETENCE is the modus operandi in the BVI. God b with us all.
@Really - I wish I could hug you because you SPEAK THE TRUTH. I myseld am sick of J..n C..ne and his cronies raping the resources of the BVI Health Services and then want to charge poor people to subsidize their lavish lifestyles and spending. Everybody knows that the C.. is incompetent but instead of letting her go they increase her salary and renewed her contract. WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES.