UPDATE:– Natalio D. Wheatley urges Premier Smith to show leadership
Premier Smith had told this news site that he has to see what the petition “comes with” before he crafts a response.
“Having received I will look at it very carefully. And having looked at it. Then I’ll respond. But I’ll have to see what they come with properly before I can determine what that response will be,” he said.
“I know that the NHI is something that would be good for the BVI and it would be something good for the people of the BVI and in that way. It has been our concern for a long time for those who are underserved with medical care, particularly the young and the elderly, whom we all in this territory should be concerned about and this is why the Government had decided to put this programme in place,” Premier Smith had told Virgin Islands News Online.
“I am happy that he will take criticisms seriously,” said Wheatley. “There is a great deal of opposition to NHI in its current form, and I hope he will be willing to go back to the drawing board and come back with something that everyone will be pleased with,” said Wheatley, who is of the view that the Premier and his Government will take the moral high road and take a second look at the NHI in its current form.
“Sometimes being a strong leader isn't just about forging ahead but being willing to take a second look,” Mr Wheatley said.
Petition gathers more than 600 signatures
Asked for an update on the number of petition signers, Wheatley said that he and others are still in the process of gathering signatures and distributing further paper petitions. Some 600 plus signatures have already been amassed online and on paper as at a few days ago.
“I can't give a figure for live signatures until we collect all the petitions from people. Quite a number of people still want to sign so we are still in the process of distributing,” said Wheatley.
He said that contrary to what some may think of their efforts, they want persons to be covered with insurance. However, they want the people who are comfortable with their own private insurance to be able to have the choice to keep it should they so desire.
Mr Wheatley also noted that in many instances, the NHI’s coverage is not as comprehensive as they enjoy now. He cited the example where persons who might be travelling frequently because of their job and who would need for their coverage to work wherever they are. He also cited people who might be citizens of other countries but work in the VI and would need their coverage whenever they are in their home countries.
“We are asking the Government to halt the NHI and take it back to the drawing boards to address these concerns of the people,” said Wheatley.
See previous article published on September 19, 2015:
‘I’ll have to see what the NHI petition comes with’ – Premier Smith
-said he will look carefully @ NHI petition before formulating a response
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Premier and Minister of Finance Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith said that once he receives the petition that is presently gathering signatures to have the National Health Insurance (NHI) taken back to the drawing board he will look at it very carefully.
He was speaking to this news site at a recent public event when he was asked about the petition and what he would do once it reaches him. The petition includes a copy of a letter written to the Premier by a group of concerned citizens telling him about the dangers they anticipate with the coming into being of the NHI in its present form.
As of this morning, September 19, 2015, the online petition, which can be found at www.change.org, showed that some 595 people had signed it.
“Having received I will look at it very carefully. And having looked at it. Then I’ll respond. But I’ll have to see what they come with properly before I can determine what that response will be,” he said.
“I know that the NHI is something that would be good for the BVI and it would be something good for the people of the BVI and in that way. It has been our concern for a long time for those who are underserved with medical care, particularly the young and the elderly, whom we all in this territory should be concerned about and this is why the Government had decided to put this programme in place,” he said.
“But of course any criticism and any suggestion will be taken seriously,” said Premier Smith.
More people on the breadline
Persons in the insurance sector believe the Government’s move to bring into force the National Health Insurance (NHI) is likely to put more persons on the breadline.
The Insurance Association of the BVI (IABVI) in a recent press release circulated throughout the territory stated that while members of the IABVI would like to offer its customers supplementary or top-up plans it does not feel this would be affordable to most customers due to the expense of NHI.
This news site sought the confirmation and further explanation of some of the leading insurance companies in the territory and, according to those who responded, they are likely to be facing a situation where they would have to send home a very large percentage of their staff in certain departments.
Natalio D. Wheatley aka Sowande Uhuru, lecturer at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College and social commentator has been on a campaign over the last few weeks raising awareness of the perceived shortcomings of the NHI and started the petition which is transitioning from online to paper petition with live signatures, altogether totalling more than 600 signatures. These will be passed to the Premier upon completion of the signature-gathering process.
The online petition can be accessed by clicking on the link below.
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22 Responses to “UPDATE:– Natalio D. Wheatley urges Premier Smith to show leadership”
prior to any discussion about NHI changes. Freeloading has its disadvantage. Somebody and everybody pays.
Everyone don't have access to the internet.