‘Return to the people with NHI’- Resident
Government of the day to take the blame
“When the Labour code was implemented, that was done almost in secret. People hadn’t a say in it, that was thrown at you, most businesses were closed at the time that was implemented, nobody don’t want to be caught in that same situation with this NHI,” complained a resident who chose to make contact with this news site as she said she was unsuccessful in getting through to the most recent on-air programme of PEP.
She said her concerns are valid because of the economic strain being felt by the majority. The resident explained that since in the initial discussions of the NHI it was indicated that it would be compulsory for residents to sign up for NHI but that many persons would not be in a financial position to keep their current insurances.
Giving up insurance
“I can’t afford both, so if I give up my insurance that I already have, I would have been through that grace period already (three months before the insurance kicks in) and then I would have to go through another period with NHI. What is going to happen to me if something happens in that period?”
It is the resident’s firm opinion that more consultations need to be done with the public and the government of the day needs to come forward to tell the people exactly what is going on and where they are at with NHI. “All we are hearing is that it is going to happen, when, with which insurance company and things like that we the people need to know, we need to understand what is going on, this high handed way of throwing things on the people must stop, this country depends on us the small man, they can’t make it without us.”
Economy of VI is not robust Mr Premier!
She further stated that she does not think the NHI is a bad thing but says that the way government has been rolling out new systems on the poor people is not a good thing.
“Another very important thing,” she added, “Is this premier need to stop saying that the economy is robust, it is not for us, put yourself in our shoe and you will die in a day. You can’t make it through the struggles we the lower level of people deal with everyday. Some of us get obese because we have to just eat what is available at the time, sticking to certain diets to stay healthy is expensive, very expensive. Come on now Premier, this economy of the BVI is not robust, I say again it is not robust, stop saying so.”
Treat youth & seniors better
Her concerns were also loud as it relates to the manner in which youth and seniors are being treated, especially with the implementation of the hike in fees at Peebles Hospital.
She said that with the current new requirements, some things have been overlooked or taken for granted and is only making living harder for the people that society needs the most. “I do not like the way the seniors and the young people are treated with these hospital charges. I think some more consideration should have been taken for those people instead of now having them to pay hospital fees. What government needs to remember is that a lot of the elderly it’s their children who have to be footing their medical bills and when they are charging them it makes it even harder with another expense on the working people.”
“Children can’t work, it’s their parents that have to take care of them so something should have been done to cater for those two classes of people,” said the resident.
This was the concern also with others who would have spoken with this news site. One person had told this news site that she was well taken aback and flabbergasted when she went to the pharmacy following the implementation of the new fee to discover that she was also being charged a pharmacy service fee.
Money making decisions unscrupulous
“We have to pay more to see the doctor, more for the medication and by Christ they got the guts to put an additional cost for the pharmacy service too, we already paying so much more on the medication, this is definitely not a caring government, they definitely not considering the small man, every dollar matters for us, adding that two dollars there is heavy and not necessary,” said the frustrated woman.
She said that in most parts of the world government out of concern for its people would put on small increases on certain services and not drop it so heavy like this government has the pattern of doing.
“Look at their Board, look at their head management, they are all people with means, taking home fat salaries, and stipends that can cover them but what about us who things so hard with us that we boil the tap water because we can’t afford to pay for a case of distilled water in the store. We put the cheapest thing in our kids’ bag for school and sometimes nothing because we cannot do better or we simply don’t have it,” said the woman.
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19 Responses to “‘Return to the people with NHI’- Resident”
Hello!! The crows are coming home to roost now. There is no difference between this scheme and the Spooners fiasco. The darn problem is, R.... is to bull headed. It has to be his way or the high way. Their present plan to base your taxes on a percentage of your income as in the USVI will send many of us under. Many of the small businesses CANNOT afford this added expense and will have to close their doors. The Chinese Minister will do as he pleases and Mary's little lamb will remain silent. What a shame.