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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Before the hecklers shout 'conflict of
interest' let me say that the position I take now is the same as it was
when I was Shadow Minister of Health from 1982-1992 (Ask the Prime
Minister, he should remember). It is true that today I have a son, a
daughter in law and a nephew who are doctors here. I have a sister who
is a retired nurse in Canada, two grand-nieces who are doctors in Canada
and a daughter who has her Masters in Nursing and is now training
operating room nurses in Atlanta. The hands on knowledge I have gained
from them only solidifies my position.
I read with horror Shane
Gibson's comments published in the press under the headline, "National
Health and Greedy Doctors." He stooped so low and lied so much that he
could have walked upright under a snake's belly. But congratulations,
Shane; you've finally reached. You have finally mastered the political
art of speaking fluently through every orifice of your body with your
mouth shut and your brain closed down!
What bothers me most is
Shayne Gibson's reasoning regarding National Health. He's either dumb,
has an ulterior motive or, most frightening of all, he hasn't got a
plan. He doesn't know the cost, he doesnt know where the money's coming
from or where it's going.
So he must try and distract the
public's attention from the facts by blaming "greedy doctors." Shane,
this is not thirty years ago. Today, in case you didn't know, the
Bahamian people are smart to mouths like yours.
Shane Gibson says
he's worried about the little man. Is he? I visited a dentist
yesterday and when I got my bill, 7.5% was added for VAT! I gladly paid
it but wondered how the "little man" could afford it? The Bahamas is
one of the only countries in the world that charges VAT on medical fees.
Wow, and Shane Gibson said he was interested in the little man?
Nonsense, man, what's the real deal?
Your answer is probably
going to be, "Well National Health will take care of that!" Maybe. But
why did you include VAT in the first place? After all, you folks who
claim to be so concerned about the "little man" put it there.
You
say that doctors don't care about the people's health, and that they
don't support your plan. True, they don't support your plan because
it's lousy, and does not fix the problem. Doctors are continuously
telling you they support National Health, but you insist on bullheadedly
pushing a plan that will hurt, not help Universal Health Care. Get
your head out of the sand, man!
Out of one side of your mouth you
say that people can keep their doctor, and from the other side you
claim that you will give doctors quotas. Now lets be practical. What if
Dr. Lunn, who is my doctor, is assigned 300 patients and I am 305 on
the list? What sayest thou, almighty Gibson? I could end up with a
junior doctor at the Princess Margaret Hospital, couldn't I ? No you
didn't lie to the people by telling them they could keep their doctor,
you just didn't tell them the truth, did you?
You say "greedy
doctors." Well, let's see. Do you know how many hours doctors give
FREE to sew up gunshot wounds because you, Mr. Gibson, can't control
crime in this country? Maybe you should be the one fired, eh Mr.
Gibson? Do you have any idea how many "free" patients these "greedy
doctors" see per day? How many do you see "free" every day? I have a
feeling that you're the kind of guy who would try to squeeze the milk
out of the bull on the five cent piece!
But you insist that the
poor man/woman pay 7.5% VAT to see a dentist or doctor? Come now Mr.
Gibson, have you looked in the mirror lately? Are you really concerned
about the poor person? You've got to be joking! You're interested in
getting votes by fooling the people! That's what you're interested in,
isn't it Mr. Gibson?
You say, "There will be no more cook outs."
Really, Mr. Gibson? People don't have cook outs for belly aches -
they have cook outs to raise money to pay for catastrophic health events
like strokes or major operations, etc. The problem is, Mr. Gibson,
your plan doesn't cover this.
But I've just read another one of
your statements where a "special fund" will be created to take care of
"selective" catastrophic events, and this money will be in the
"consolidated fund." Well, well Mr. Gibson, isn't the consolidated
fund the fund into which all monies collected by the government goes?
Is it not the same fund the VAT money goes into? Is it not the same
fund that the Government had to bolster by borrowing thirty-million
dollars the other day? Is it not the same fund that you "GREEDY"
politicians will dive into to get the raise you speak about? Is it not
the same fund that finances all those fancy trips that you
parliamentarians take with your large entourages? I have a feeling that
the "special" fund to care for "selective" catastrophic sickness will
be very small and very "selective." Maybe big enough to care for your
"buddies," eh Mr. Gibson?
What your plan is offering is already
in place now. Clinics are used for exactly what you're offering.
Nationalising health care won't solve the problem of overcrowding; it
will add to the confusion!
Government can't run the clinics efficiently now; what makes you think they'll be able to run a National Health Plan?
This
brings up another subject. It has been said that the government has
been "well advised." Please tell us who is advising the government?
How was the contract for the "advisors" determined? What were the
background checks? After all, the public should be told how their money
is being spent and who are these people and how much are they getting
paid to "well advise" the government.
Has the government ever read:
http://yahoo.brand.edgar-
online.com/default.aspx?
companyid=412289
Last,
but not least for now anyhow, the rumour is that if the doctors don't
cooperate and do what they are told, then the government will bring in
doctors from Cuba and China. They certainly would be cheaper. While
Mr. Gibson is there recruiting these doctors, maybe he should also
recruit some Government Ministers from there too. They certainly would
be cheaper than the ones we have now, and they certainly would know that
pineapples don't grow underground!
I agree, let's have Universal Health Care, but let's do it with sense - not just to get votes!
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