Voting public needs to be more vocal about concerns — Dr Samuel
Acting CEO of the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA), Dr June Samuel, said members of the BVI community need to be more vocal about their needs in their efforts to reach public officials.
“I think right now in the BVI where we’re at, we have to, as a community, become empowered to ask for the things that are necessary and some of the things that are within our rights as citizens,” Dr Samuel said while appearing on the Talking Points radio show recently.
The CEO was at the time addressing concerns persons have had with how the National Health Insurance (NHI) is run and the level of frustration associated with the scheme.
Dr Samuel expressed that a reset was needed at the BVIHSA and said an assessment needs to be conducted.
She also said persons among the population who have good advocacy and organisational skills have to help others to understand what this looks like.
Those among the population that are in leadership positions, Dr Samuel argued, are primarily there to give direction and to try to steer the proverbial ship in the right direction.
“In my current role, my responsibility is to give the input, to advocate at my level and to represent with the [BVIHSA] Board, because the Board is really responsible for the mandate of the organisation,” Dr Samuel said.
“So, you know, we have to represent well to the Ministry of Health and NHI where we think it needs to go. So that’s our role,” she added.
At the end of the day, Dr Samuel opined, there are policymakers on one side of the divide, and on the other side are community members.
Dr Samuel also drew reference to the current public meetings about the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report and the resulting framework agreement between the United Kingdom and the government of the BVI.
According to Dr Samuel, public meetings such as those being conducted now should be the norm and not the exception to the rule.
“We should be doing public meetings all the time, engaging your public,” Dr Samuel said. She continued: “We as a public, voting public, we also have to be willing to speak up.”
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It is not just the ‘voting’ public who should have a voice – it is everyone who is paying into NHI and who expects a minimum level of service and competence in return.
I am wondering if it had free food because I see dah one in the photo
But only belongers get to vote. (a minority) “Taxation without representation” sound familiar ?
It would if the Belongers could read and write and were given an education in their schools where the teachers can’t read and write. Remember the Head Coach? The math teacher who couldn’t do 10% without a calculator? I rest my point!!
You don’t have no damn point. Some of you need your keyboards taken away as you have destructive minds. In fact, why not haul your behind wherever you came from where the population is all brilliant Road Scholars. I think not. If you go to another man’s country and cannot find peace and positivity in your heart towards the people, don’t let the American dollar turn you into an evil person. Go find greener pastures somewhere else. The BVI will not miss you. We are now overpopulated as it is and if BVIslanders are truly in the minoirty, it is time for Immigration to do their damn jobs. If you are from the Caribbean and you go home, you won’t find any BVIslanders there since you hate us so much that you are spewing vile nonsense. It must be you all are feeling cocky as every time I read the blogs it is some foolishness like this.
And you are a prime example. Road Scholar? Really!! It’s Rhode Scholar dumba**
BVIHSA should have their own election for top management personnel. All persons in the BVI who benefit from or pay into NHI and SSB are eligible to vote! Keep politics and HOA out of the health business!
By paying NHI and SS is not an entittlement for voting rights. It entitles you for the benifits they offer.
The clinics, dentists and doctors have been making a fortune with overcharged services the NHI has to pay. Their prices for services should be reviewed.