The 'Old Aged' putting strain on VI social service – Hon. Skelton
He did acknowledge, however, that the recognition that people are living longer is supposed to be a good thing.
“So if you continue to live to a hundred years or ninety nine years, our social security system based on the contributions will not be able to withstand probably the next thirty five years or twenty five years...So we are retiring people at sixty years and they are living another thirty, forty years so there is a discussion going on to increase the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.”
New Peebles Hospital may cost over a hundred million dollars to complete
Hon. Skelton also noted that that the new Peebles Hospital should be handed over to Government by August of 2013.
"You are quite aware that we are building a new hospital in this country and by the time it is finished it would probably cost a hundred million dollars, “And for the media, VINO, I said over a hundred million dollars." The Minister posited that there are some "small minor difficulties" that may delay the project, however.
Moving on to a different topic, Hon. Skelton said the hospital’s dialysis system is among the best in the Caribbean and noted that when the project was started in 2007, the facility was opened with just about thirteen patients that needed to be dialysed. “Now we have fifty four and climbing.”
The rise in the number of patients with non-communicable diseases was also a concern for Hon. Skelton and noted that Government has since co-opted persons from the society and Government towards forming two committees to steer the implementations of recommendations, which are likely to effect the reduction of non-communicable diseases.
“This is an ongoing process it doesn’t have any set finish timeline, it must continue and the people on this committee are very important and instrumental in making sure that these initiatives are implemented,” said Hon Skelton. He said that it was against the backdrop of recognizing that for the government to maintain a quality level of health care services they have embarked on the project of seeking to established a National Health Insurance. “This National Health Insurance is important for all the people of this country.”
This issue became the main talking point of discussions among the ministers and residents of Cane Garden Bay and some surrounding communities who were present at the community meeting. There was not one single person who stood up in support of the National Health Insurance scheme as most felt that it was an infringement on their democratic rights to have the policy imposed on them. Residents voiced their concerns from the point that the system was not clearly thought out and that Government had not taken into consideration the rise in other insurances by private companies as they stand to lose greatly on the side of health insurances.
The Minister attempted to ease the fears of persons by explaining that the August 2013 deadline for implementation was not written in stones and that the timeline was given to get residents to start bracing themselves for its implementation. In his view it might be better started in January of 2014.
Hon. Skelton highlighted the major problems in getting the sick from the sister islands to Peebles Hospital as the ambulance boat, which was purchased by the government to aid this process, has been in the repair shop for an extended period. He also said Government is in the process of hiring the services of helicopters to be used for the evacuation of patients in emergencies.
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20 Responses to “The 'Old Aged' putting strain on VI social service – Hon. Skelton”
That is incompetence.
This is where the government talks about aging should be directed : helping the aging population to remain engaged in physical activities for all of their days while at the same time stopping the assumed notions that once one has attained a "magical" number, all of their physical capabilities will be lost!
I sSTARTING TO DISLIKE RONNIE, OFF OF A SUDDEN HE STARTING TO SOUND LIKE A TOTAL JACK A$$! RONNIE YOU BETTER PRAY THAT YOU WILL LIVE TO SEE NINETY OR ONE HUNDRED AND KEEP OFF THE ELDERS IN THIS COMMUNITY!! YOU RE STARTING TO GET UNDER MY SKIN NOW! THE MORE YOU TALK, THE MORE I DISLIKE AND LOOSE RESPECT FOR YOU!
#jeezonbread
Instead of extending the retirement age to 65, why not regulate the banks better and have them cease from giving people 30 plus year mortgages to people who are near retirement or simply cannot afford their mortgages?