VI Youth Parliament meets for the 2nd time
![While many may not remember this is not the first time there has been a Youth Parliament set up in the Virgin Islands according to former Minister for Education and Culture Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) standing with Youth Parliamentarian Chezley L. D. Stoddard, [Youth Parliament] Representative for the First District. Photo: Team of Reporters](https://www.virginislandsnewsonline.com/cache/images/800x_i_IMG20151128WA0011_01.jpg)
While many may not remember this is not the first time there has been a Youth Parliament set up in the Virgin Islands according to former Minister for Education and Culture Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1).
Honourable Fahie in a brief but exclusive interview confirmed that this is simply a reestablishment of the Youth Parliament, a programme he fully supports.
Today the Youth Parliament is up and running again with new support from the Speaker of the House of Assembly Honourable Ingrid A. Moses and Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn among other members of the House of Assembly.
NHI finds support
At its second meeting this time in the House of Assembly’s (HoA) chambers in Road Town, the Virgin Islands capital city, carried live on radio and television the 13 youths representing a district along with four Territorial At-Large and trying to mirror the real HOA, the young people debated the topic of the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme.
The NHI is scheduled to take effect in January 2016. Most of the Youth Parliamentarians between the ages of 15 - 29 were in support of the Government programme to bring health insurance to all residents.
The Youth Parliament Premier Sonniel O. Pickering who became the chief spokesperson for the Programme articulated at length what he saw as the benefits and claimed that without basic health care the entire Virgin Islands is at risk.
Chezley L. D. Stoddard who in the Youth Parliament is the Representative for the First District also supports the Programme. He told his colleagues in the Parliament on Wednesday November 25, 2015 after the session got on the way a little after 4:00 PM that, “it is a system that secures you for a lifetime and designed to help beneficiaries get access to preventative and medical services without much hassle.”
The Youth Parliament member went on to argue that “such coverage includes general and specialized doctor visits, preventative care visits, most surgeries, Intensive & emergency care, Pharmaceutical drug services, mental health care, Dental care, vision care and laboratory tests and which person in this territory wouldn’t want that Madam Speaker."
Opponent to NHI
The Youth Parliament Members who opposed the programme said it could cripple the Territory and the programme can go bankrupt within a couple of years.
The next topic to be debated by the group of want-to-be elected representatives will be Pari-mutuel Wagering at Ellis Thomas Downs.
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23 Responses to “VI Youth Parliament meets for the 2nd time ”
Yet another shortcoming of this NHI.
"Economic problems, climate and energy problems, health problems. Let's move on".
Really? So what you think the NHI is about? I do not see more serious an issue than your health insurance coverage. I do not see more serious an issue when a Government mandates you to sign up for the NHI knowing very well that mot can ill afford two insurances. Now that means that you most likely would have to access the local health care service that is ill equipped and lacks the capability or competency to handle such an influx.
I know of several instances where people lost their lives or almost lost their lives due to the incompetence of the local health care service in particular the hospital. Some threaten litigation and settle their claims outside of court while others just let it go and move on like you suggested. I could tell you an instance where a youngster was given a wrong dosage of medication where he had serious adverse reactions and almost died as a result. One google of the medication I was able to determine that the dosage was incorrect as it was the dosage that was recommended for an adult. The Doctor tried to sweep it under the rug saying it was a mistake and begged the parent to keep it hush hush. She moved on.
I am sure you are aware that the NHI could well be an economic problem too, however the more serious implication is that of a life and death.