Premier: We will write off BVIHSA’s debt
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has announced plans to write off nearly $20 million owed to the government by the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA).
Dr Wheatley indicated that this would improve the Authority’s financial standing and ensure better health services for residents.
During the budget debate in the House of Assembly yesterday, Dr Wheatley emphasised the need for financial relief for the BVIHSA, which has faced significant challenges due to its mounting debts.
“About 90% of that debt is owed to the government, primarily through unpaid taxes,” he explained.
According to the Premier, writing off this debt will provide a much-needed equity infusion and allow the Health Services Authority to operate more effectively.
“One thing I will discuss with the Ministry of Finance is about writing off that debt,” he told legislators. “Let’s just write off that debt because, as we said, when you have somebody who’s drowning, you don’t throw them a weight. You don’t throw them an anvil. You throw them a life jacket. It’s called equity infusion through tax relief.”
Debt forgiveness will improve BVIHSA’s financial health
The Premier further highlighted the burden of debt on the BVIHSA, stating, “It’s not good also for the balance sheet for the Health Services Authority. So we’re going to just write off that debt.”
He noted that this approach would strengthen the organisation’s financial health and improve its ability to serve the public.
Earlier this year, the BVIHSA suffered extensive power cuts to its operations. Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer defended the BVI Electricity Corporation after power cuts to the BVIHSA’s clinics across the territory.
Rymer pointed out that the BVIHSA faced significant financial challenges due to unpaid bills, causing them to owe their vendors a substantial amount of money. He also stressed that he did not personally sanction the power cuts, as a fellow lawmaker suggested.
During the debate, Premier Wheatley indicated that much of the Authority’s electricity debt has since been paid off.
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. Now get the health Minister to get some balls revite the NHI. The playing feel is not fair. The competition is not good between the private health care providers and the hospital, it’s obvious not.. don’t need to go into more detail cause am sure you know. And as well the NHI need to do better with its selective disguising behavior towards certain people who seek help. What can go so
that thing needs to get write off. its a sham
Health Minister has been willing to to that . It is you the public that was bambozzled by B.S. narratives by bad actors with an agenda that didnt LISTEN. Now you find out you have been hoodwinked you want action and saying he has no balls. you need to grow some
The current Minister of Health can’t review anything. He’s completely clueless.
What type of tax relief, as to the best of my knowledge, statutory bodies only pay payroll tax.
Mr. Premier, I trust that your advisors have informed you that debt relief does not adequately address the root cause of the problem. I am extremely disappointed that you haven’t mentioned potential revenue streams, innovation and programs to restore confidence in the public health system. If the aforementioned wasn’t addressed, you will be back next year around this time with another proposal to write off another portion of BVIHSA’s debt.
But do you and the rest of the Public have the will, the fortitude to help him not only address but take action on the underlying issues. When heads begin to roll and people are held accountable then you have people proecting the blockers to the innovation , revenue streams and programs to restore confidence of which you speak. So which will it be? Look how easy the public was distracted and ready to blame to worng person before the FACTS came out on NHI. Then everyone was suprised. Which will it be? Tell me.
What the hell are you speaking about?
The fact that you cant or wont understand makes you one of the enablers of the NHI debacle. fu@king sheep.
You are correct
The integrity of the health care that is being performed at pebbles by those who are supposed to professionals , also the maintenance of yhe machines and equipments ,that
should be serviced by professional , we are talking about our lives here now / WHO IS LOOKING OUT FOR THE WELLBEING OF US WHO ARE THE MERCY OF THESE SET OF WANNABE PROFESSIONALS that has a licen to prescribe medications with a whole ton load ( SIDE EFFECTS ) WHICH THEY DON’T TEL ABOUT, AND IF YOU NARE UNFORTUNATE TO CONTRACT ANY , ALL THEY DO IS CHSNGE THE MEDICATION AND ACT LIKE ITS NO BIG DEAL ( WE DON’T REALLY KNOW THAT WE ARE BEING EXPERIMENTED ON THESE DAYS , ITS LIKE ( RIP ) AND THEY CONTINUE THEIR BUSINESSES AS USUAL , AS ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST
We spent it but can’t pay it so we won’t. Forget it. This, in a place that provides financial services, is irony defined.
To build some private health practices now hidden by making the debt just disappear, no such thing our taxes have paid for those private clinics and the quality of actual healthcare although massively more expensive has nosedived.
Listen to this great businessman! Picko was right…never ran a candy store or lemonade stand, but now is supposed to run a country??
He needs to get rid of the stigma that localsand other Blacks usually walk in, but are carried out to be buried
Come forgive my bank loan there nuh…small thing compared to wa you give out for flop fest and Kartel
Write it off with no system in place to prevent it from happening again? Well sah!!! Only in Tortola can these things happen. Where is the accountability for the people’s money? Like fr fr. Somebody must be getting a lil something under that table buddeh. A shame!
So some people finally realize this scam but the true purpose was for us (citizens) pay for the new hospital and a chosen few lifestyle. Explain to me how a private clinic can build several brand new buildings in under ten years of taking it over while the government struggling to complete one.
Why were private facilities allow to increase their prices before finalizing NHI but the hospital was told they can’t do that also they have to seek permission from the HOA to do this?
Why private facilities gets paid in full while hospital have to be begging for their thus sometime resulting in late salaries for staff and to date no raise.
NHI is a good idea but was badly rolled out. It is needed but we have to do better. Imagine needing service overseas and the air ambulance just yo Puerto Rico starts at $10000.00 most families can’t pay this all at once. Please review this plan, it can work but greed needs to be remove.
Also the government clearly knew this will be a problem, if you have the threatened employers with legal action to pay in contribution why did they think NHI would be any different? It the same people behind all this confusion.
Well you guys need to review NHI, government medical is free in some caricom countries including chemotherapy. NHI was a very good think especially for the poor but you have those private clinics reaping the benefits. The health minister should have a price list in place for those private clinics for medical treatment. A colonoscopy copay should not be over $500. It should be way less. That’s half a month’s rent right there. So if 500 is copay I’m wondering what the original price submitted to NHI?
With the right minds,hearts and will in place medicine can work for al.
My thanks contiue to go out to Mr. R.Skelton who, despite the good medical institution called Miami’s Children Hospital,was it not for him, my son would not be here with us today. We literally snatched him from the dead.
Thank you again Mr Ske;ton.