Prime Minister Perry Christie, on Friday, urged members of the private sector, including physicians and insurance companies to cooperate with the government in terms of the implementation of National Health Insurance.
Mr. Christie’s comment came as he delivered remarks at Jones Communications Network’s (JCN) Civil Society and Person of the Year Awards 2015.
According to JCN, the awards are given to outstanding members of society honouring their invaluable contributions to the country.
Mr. Christie received the top award, being named the person of the year.
JCN said it chose the country’s leader because of his political will to implement value added tax, in the wake of mounting controversy behind the tax.
However, suggesting that the government received more cooperation from the private sector in VAT’s implementation and execution, he called for that same level of cooperation for the implementation of NHI.
“I believe in a country where the stakeholders sit down and work out an approach to the given subject. What sense does it make for me to force you to agree to tax and to agree to an amount John Rolle was entirely correct that it’s a team effort. I just want to throw this out to those challenging the process of National Health Insurance. There is no need for people in this country to talk to the government in mount Olympus,” lamented Mr. Christie
“There is no need for aerial political bombardment. All you have to do is sit in an office in good faith and say Prime Minister, or minister, I disagree. Why would any government want to waste its time fighting a medical profession or an insurance agency? Governments work on the best advice given to them. The doctors may disagree with that advice, but you cannot ever stop the government from executing on a project that is manifestly and undeniably in the best interest of the people in this country who are at a disadvantage,”
Last week the Medical Association of The Bahamas voiced disgust with the government, through a press conference, objecting to the process in which NHI is being implemented.
That press conference followed remarks by National Insurance and Labour Minister, Shane Gibson, who said that the government will not be held hostage by those stakeholders, such as doctors, who are concerned about their own personal financial gain, rather than the interest of the Bahamian people in need.
However, during his remarks, the prime minister praised the top civil servants in the Ministry of Finance specifically, for working with the government.
Other award recipients included Central Bank Governor, John Rolle, FML Group of Companies CEO, Craig Flowers, world renowned athlete, Shaune Miller, and HeadKnowles Foundation.
