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‘It’s been a month & nothing from Premier’ – Doug Wheatley

- said by now Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith should have had ‘all his ducks lined up’
Radio talk show host Doug Wheatley expressed concern during his Speak Out BVI show last night November 10, 2015 as it is two days shy of one month that the NHI Concerned Citizens and Residents Group submitted its petition to Premier Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith with no response as yet. Photo: VINO/File
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. Photo: Provided
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. Photo: Provided
The NHI is to be fully implemented come January 1, 2016. Photo: VINO/File
The NHI is to be fully implemented come January 1, 2016. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Radio talk show host Doug Wheatley expressed concern during his Speak Out BVI show last night November 10, 2015 as it is two days shy of one month that the NHI Concerned Citizens and Residents Group submitted its petition to Premier Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith with no response as yet.

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 more than 700 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 was 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. They also propose that insured persons can be taxed one to two percent of their salary to pay for the uninsured. They also suggested the expansion of the remit of Social Security.

Worrying silence

However, there has not been a word from the Premier in a month almost since the meeting and this is beginning to worry Wheatley who was part of that delegation.

“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.

“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.”

Wheatley said people continue to meet him in the street and express their concerns about the NHI and how it will affect them if the changes sought are not made.

17 Responses to “‘It’s been a month & nothing from Premier’ – Doug Wheatley”

  • ta ta (11/11/2015, 09:21) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    The man cannot make a decsion give him a break Doug
  • he cant remember (11/11/2015, 09:27) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mehson doc done forget you long time.
  • wize up (11/11/2015, 10:21) Like (3) Dislike (7) Reply
    many years ago Mr wheatley was part of the government system and he did nothing to improve health care now here chatting !uck week after week...Mr Wheatley you are a party of the problems and social issues which we now have in BVI; you were part of the government system before running of to the US now back home having issues with everything ( Wheatley U had the chance to put policy in place many years ago BUT did no-thing)...have a seat!!!!
    • THE FBI (11/11/2015, 11:06) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
      Douglas was in power twenty years ago, don't blame him for the failure of this Government to act in a responsible manner. If Dr. Smith is the leader then let him lead. This Premier needs to mess or get off the pot.
  • conviction (11/11/2015, 11:21) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    @wize up. Stop playing politics. The NHI is not a joke and cannot be implemented in its current form. NHI is not designed to help people who do not have insurance to get insurance but to make doctors and their investors rich. This program will be unworkable and could bankrupt the country
    • wize up (11/11/2015, 12:40) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
      @ conviction: we both know this current administration will move ahead with NHI ( done deal)...it will take another administration going back to the house if assembly to make amendments to NHI...so I see the current level of conversation about NHI on radio as an exercise in futility: they are more pressing social issues to discuss.....
      • dude (11/11/2015, 14:51) Like (3) Dislike (1) Reply
        Name the issues that affect every member of the BVI community in a professional & personal nature such as this please. We can demand more exposure on them.
        • wize up (11/11/2015, 17:50) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
          @ dude: are you an @$$-hole; we have some fool or fools running around our country with gun(s) robing people and you asking such a dumb !ucking question...I grew up in the 60s so the current rash of arm robberies are very disturbing to me(we did not have such excitement back in the days)...we have guys on the block selling dope to our children and you asking such a dumb question: we have hard-seed old man molesting our baby-girls and you asking such dumb questions....all I am saying; you can talk til the cows come home, this administration will move on with NHI...just a few years ago most people were up in arms about bi-water coming to BVI to kill off ocean conversion( after all "the talk" bi-water came to our country and kill off the local company)....so how much talking can be done; we have elected persons on both VIP & NDP that have no regard for the cries of our people; so should we just keep on taking and talking like a set of dumb $kunts....once an issue does not effect our pocket book them it does not exist(we only concern about money matters, that is our problem in BVI today...we focus mostly on that take home pay check, while any other issue is not a concerns to most of us)
      • conviction (11/11/2015, 15:52) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
        @wize up: Doug's effort to educate the public is the correct way irregardless of whether the government chooses to do what is right or not. the people only will learn when they hear the message long enough. It shows that doug is brave to bring out the issue and if you cannot see that this is one of the most important issue facing the territory and will be the single most important decision to shape and affect the future of these British Virgin Islands then I am afraid that you are lost in your folly. If implemented a lot of people will die but I can assure you when the law suits come to govt I hope the can deal with them. Ironically if you do no sign up for NHI you cannot be penalized and if you are you can sue for Millions of dollars. That's the rights afforded to you under the constitution. Read more and criticize less.
  • Music (11/11/2015, 11:36) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Dont worry, Doug. It isnt going to happen!
  • lmao (11/11/2015, 14:28) Like (0) Dislike (9) Reply

    So the BVI Financial Services is under threat, we have work in Tourism and so many issues and our Premier supposed to be studying Doug wid his £$%^?

  • conviction (11/11/2015, 15:55) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    @lmao: I don't know your healthy you are but how important is your life to you. If this is not number one over FSC and tourism ten you got your priorities mixed up
  • yellow (11/11/2015, 20:02) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    How did NDP come to mean cruel, uncaring?
    • Me (11/11/2015, 20:19) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      The love of money.
    • NORTHSOUNDER (12/11/2015, 01:05) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      DR.HANNIBAL DID TELL THE PEOPLE ABOUT THIS NHI TING BUT AYO DIDNT VOTE FOR HE SO MOST OF US NOW GONNA FEEL IT SO SOME OF AYO NEED TO SHUT THE FRANCE UP. AND DRINK THE BITTER COOL AID THE NDP MADE FOR WE THE COMMON PEOPLE


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