The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Government must consider the Bahamas’ economic recovery progress as it moves to implement initiatives such as National Health Insurance (NHI), a leading private sector representative warning: “We have to be careful we don’t bite off more than we can chew.”

Gowon Bowe, the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) chairman, told Tribune Business that while the Government’s decision to implement NHI was laudable, the question remained whether the nation can afford it at this time.

  “The Government’s social initiatives have to take consideration of where we are in our economic recovery, what our mission is in terms of business development and expansion, and the needs to the Government coffers,” Mr Bowe told Tribune Business. 

“When we start talking about National Health Insurance we have to be careful we don’t bite off more than we can chew before we actually chew it. While National Health Insurance  as a social initiative is very laudable, the question is: Is this one that we can afford?

“I guess it can be asked also whether we can afford not to have it. In reality, we have been  surviving without it with some very sad stories but, by and large, we have a national health system where we are providing a sort of universal health care that is being inefficiently managed and still requiring government subsidies.”

Mr Bowe added: “While the NHI initiative is looking to better streamline, we have to be careful that we are doing something that the country can afford, is being well thought out and implemented, and one that we understand the long-term cost benefit analysis of.

“If we get this wrong in terms of the numbers, and say that it will be in place in 10 months and have not yet determined what the rate would be, that indicates that the cost is such that they are either still moving or so exorbitant that they are looking at creative ways to bring it down.”

 NHI was developed as a policy priority under the first Christie administration. A 15-member Blue Ribbon Commission was appointed to review the feasibility of a National Health Insurance Plan.

The National Health Insurance Act 2006 was tabled in Parliament by the Christie government in November 2006. The current administration has revived the plan, which is now slated for a January 2016 first phase roll-out.

  During a presentation on the mid-year Budget on Monday, Health Minister Dr Perry Gomez acknowledged that while the Government’s decision to go ahead with NHI was ambitious, it will become a reality in 10 months. 

NHI is expected to be financed via a new tax on Bahamians, although the rate of that tax has not yet been determined.

    Mr Bowe said to keep the business community thriving and vibrant, the Government must be mindful of what companies can bear. 

“We’re trying to impress upon the Government that none of these initiatives are opposed by the Chamber of Commerce or the business community, but are events that the business community would like to see thought through and dealt with in a manner that doesn’t damage their viability and ability to expand,” said Mr Bowe.