Recently named Senator Dr. Duane Sands says once again the Progressive Liberal Party has failed to commit to promises made due to distractions.

Dr. Sands says the delay of the National Health Insurance scheme shows that the government is simply unable to “walk and chew gum” at the same time and the upcoming referendum has them “distracted”.

“It is amazing the ability of this government to not be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. If they are asked to do multiple things at the same time it seems virtually impossible for them to get it done. NHI is a casualty of incompetent governance,” he lambasted.

“This government seems unable to adhere to any deadline that it imposes on it self and it is currently distracted by the referendum.”

“I don’t believe that we even know what the Bahamian people are buying. In other words the benefits package has not even been finalized. “

The primary care phase of NHI was due to be rolled out last month, however according to Minister of Health Perry Gomez, the phase would be delayed for about “six months or so.”

Consultant to the government of KPMG Mark Brickell said a public health insurer should first be established before the primary care phase can be offered. He added that this process will take months to be completed.

Draft legislation for the proposed NHI scheme was released however there has been no update on the cost of funding once the scheme is implemented.

So far it has not been made clear as to how the scheme will be funded, however last year Prime Minister Perry Christie said that the government will not consider a tax to fund the scheme until the next fiscal year.

Dr. Sands also highlighted issues with Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Institute (BAMSI) in North Andros criticizing that the government has made promises for BAMSI and those also have not been fulfilled.

“If you look at many things for instance the rehabilitation of the destroyed BAMBSI building, we have heard deadline after deadline, each has come and gone and the building is still there. Now we hear that everything is going to be completed and that building will be dealt with separately,” he said.

Over a year ago, the BAMBSI dormitory was burned down and since then remains in the same state.

It was later revealed by the minister of Works Phillip Davis that the dormitory was never insured. At the time he said that the contractor’s all risk insurance had lapsed due to non-payment.