News
House of Assembly motion calls for InterHealth Canada Investigation
Providenciales, 27 Jan 2015 – The country should have already moved to capitation from cost plus in the case of the Interhealth Canada agreement for health care and health management at the country’s two hospitals. Capitation is basically a pre-determined amount for what health care in the country would cost; cost plus is a more free system where the country is paying a standard amount plus additional costs as presented by Interhealth Canada. Today during the House of Assembly debate, the Leader of the Opposition, Sharlene Robinson called for a three pronged investigation into the 10 bed and 20 bed facilities in Grand Turk and Provo. Hon Robinson asked the members of the House to support the investigation and the Governor’s appointed member, Hon John Phillips said he agrees and supports.
“I would have to say we have been underwhelmed by the success so far of the Interhealth Canada project. We are very concern, I have personally experienced three employees, one who is now dead, one who luckily survived because we sent him to Miami and the other one who is in very bad shape. I think an operation of scale which costs the government – I don’t remember the total figure we were just quoted – but $800 and some million over a 25-year period I think it is correct for the House to call for Interhealth Canada to provide us with audited statements, not only financial but technical, clinical whatever you were term; I think this is important not only to the government and the consolidated fund but also to the National Health Insurance program. We here in the House must demonstrate clearly that we are concerned and that we wish to bring InterHealth into line and we wish them to disclose honestly, openly and in a transparent manner to the people of the islands that they are doing their best to provide us with a service.”
The Opposition Leader shared there was explained early on that in three years, there would be a review of ICL, yet in 2013 there were questions about the review and government said it would not take place until 2015, six years later the country is still awaiting financial and clinical audits. Opposition appointed member, Hon Clarence Selver reminded that the entire agreement was struck to reduce the costs of overseas healthcare, but the figures show a steady incline in those expenses absorbing the lion share of the national budget each year at 22%. Selver expressed outrage and called it unacceptable that the Turks and Caicos who hired InterHealth Canada is now made to wait on information as they continue to pay the unaudited bills. He charged that the PNP Administration is proving that it does not have compassion on the issue, that the government is not representing the people well. The motion wants answers on the cost of construction, the operational agreement of the contract from beginning to end and why a 10 bed and 20 bed facility costs what it costs.
Caribbean News
Agriculture Ministry Providing Two Water Trucks to Serve St. Elizabeth and St. Catherine
#Kingston, Jamaica, April 24, 2024 – The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining is to unveil two more water trucks this week, which will be used to service communities in St. Elizabeth and St. Catherine.
Portfolio Minister, Hon. Floyd Green, made the disclosure during Wednesday’s (April 24) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.
He also informed that of the $90 million earmarked to support farmers being impacted by the current drought, the Ministry will be
providing additional support for storage and drip-irrigation systems.
“So, we have targeted about 600 water tanks and about 400 12-millimetre drip irrigation hoses, and that distribution has already started. Additionally, we have earmarked about $8 million to really help with our livestock farmers,” Mr. Green said.
“We know the difficulty that you’re facing now in this time; [it’s] very hard to get the right nutritional support for your animals. As such, we will be providing some hay, and we will [also] provide some trucking of water to you. Again, our livestock farmers, if you are in need, please contact the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and let us see how we can help in these times,” he further stated.
Mr. Green also encouraged farmers to download the RADA App, so that the Agency can “help guide you, not only in relation to what is happening on the rainfall side, but also in relation to your integrated pest management”.
“We do see some increases of certain types of pests during this time, and it’s important that our farmers are paying attention to that. It’s also important that you’re taking drought management seriously [by undertaking] soil mulching, looking at planting drought-tolerant crops, timely harvesting, implementing land husbandry treatments and contour ditches,” he stated.
Contact: Latonya Linton
Release: JIS
Photo Caption: Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, speaking during Wednesday’s (April 24) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.
Donald De La Haye Photo
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, April 19, 2024 – In an attempt to move to 24-hour-a-day operations Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA) is steadily recruiting Air Traffic Controllers to work at the Providenciales/Howard Hamilton International Airport, according to Godfrey Smith, TCIAA CEO, reporting to the Appropriations Committee.
Speaking on April 8th Smith said a cabinet paper would be sent soon requesting six more Air Traffic Controllers to make round the clock operation at the Provo International possible and to open the airport in Grand Turk till 12 a.m.
Currently, 17 posts are filled and seven are vacant.
Smith was candid with his responses to recent industrial action from ATCs which led to resignations and firings.
“What we have to do is find systems to mitigate such actions and that has to start with filling these jobs, putting people in that want to
work and doing right by people – and we always try to do right by our staff. Persons may not think that we are but we always do – we ain’t pick no fight,” he said in the meetings held at the NJS Francis building ahead of the National Budget Communication.
Smith indicated that recruitment was an issue across the board, ‘we need to find ways to recruit a little bit better’ he told the committee. Also in need of a push was capital spending or projects according to the CEO, who said the agency had ‘not been very good’ at meeting that mark but insisted they had recognized the issue and could do better.
A very important key performance indicator drawn up by the TCIAA is increasing passenger satisfaction at the Howard Hamilton International Airport. For the TCIAA part of this means a 30 percent increase in seating by Q2 of this year.
When queried on if they could even handle this increase the CEO said,
“The fact of the matter is we already have the capacity there. What we need is to make the service a bit better.”
Staff shortages have become such a frustrating issue that the TCIAA is instituting a scholarship program created by Authority Chairman, Selvyn Hawkins
“What the board wants to do is basically allocate $25,000 annually for a scholarship and they’ve approved it already.”
This process would cover tuition and all other costs for one student.
The student would return as a summer intern and other breaks to work at the TCIAA and upon graduation, assume a role at the company.
“We identify a particular skill we need, we go after it and we build capacity that is in a nutshell the nexus of the program,” Smith said.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA) is allocated $49 million this financial year; over $20 million goes to salaries.
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