Minister dodges health cover issue
(CNS): The health minister said very little about the pressing issue of health insurance costs when he spoke for almost two hours on Monday during the debate on the Unity government’s $2 billion budget. Despite having some of the most intractable problems of any minister, including garbage collection failures and the increasing struggle many face to get health cover, Dwayne Seymour spent a good deal of time focused on culture, one of his less controversial responsibilities.
The minister said nothing about the proposed changes to the National Conservation Law, his future policy position on the environment in general, or when the marine park enhancements would be put in place.
During the visit by Prince Charles in March this year, Seymour made much of his announcement that Cabinet had finally approved the marine park expansion proposals that the Department of Environment has been pushing for almost a decade. But the minister has never mentioned an implementation date since.
At the time, the royal visitor commended the minister for that announcement, but eight months later the enhancements are still not in place and there was no indication in the minister’s speech when he plans to roll out the much needed additional marine protections.
Seymour also said very little about the situation at the dump and government’s more than two year negotiations with the Dart-led consortium that is supposed to be tackling the country’s waste-management problems. He said that progress had been made in the negotiations towards a final contract and he expected work to start on remediating part of the George Town landfill in the New Year.
However, Seymour said nothing about the details of the contract and did not respond to Ezzard Miller’s comments in his contribution to the budget debate that the final contract could be as much as $40 million more than the price in the tender bid.
The health minister spoke briefly about rubbish collection and said that eleven new garbage trucks had been ordered, and they will be delivered in early 2020. This, he said, would help to make collection more efficient. He said there were plans to expand recycling, and while he did not detail what they were, he said the Department of Environmental Health was buying some small processors.
Seymour gave very little new policy information about one of the most important challenges his ministry faces, which is making healthcare more affordable. He said his ministry would be working on lowering health costs but said nothing about how that would happen or what he planned to do about the increasing cost of health insurance. He made no mention of the CINICO review or if any further consideration had been given to the concept of a single-pay system.
He also failed to update his colleagues on the work and the money spent on consultants over the last year to introduce a SHIC plan specifically for the elderly, which the premier had hinted had been abandoned when he delivered the Budget Policy Statement.
In June Seymour had voiced his support for free healthcare for all children in Cayman during a debate on a private member’s motion, brought by opposition member Chris Saunders, asking for government to look at how it could be achieved. The motion was accepted and Seymour claimed at the time that the ministry was already looking seriously at this proposal. He said he had campaigned on the issue and that it was “very near and dear to me”.
But less than six months later, as he outlined what his ministry would be doing for the next two years, Seymour made no comment on the issue. Instead, he spoke about pressing ahead with the satellite hospital in Bodden Town, explaining that consultants had recommended it as a way to help meet increasing demand.
The minister revealed that some of the services provided at the George Town hospital would be moved to the Smith Road building to help alleviate the pressure on the main campus.
He also said there would be a greater focus on mental health, with plans to introduce a unit for adolescents’ mental health care.
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Category: Environmental Health, Government Finance, Health, Health Insurance, Medical Health, Mental Health, Politics
Fix the damn dump!
Remember just a few months ago…Kenneth was in arms and smiling with the government….couldn’t get his way and flipped and flounced and carried on like a kid…and went next door to complain…they’re all waiting to get amongst the millions…
Wayne yes Archer most definitely not I said not again Bobo he na no polítickcian he better stick to that cushy job or he’ll get 2 Luv.
Why can’t everybody see by now that ”Minister Seymour,” lacks incompetence and the other minsters haven’t notice by now that he lacks certain specific skills, or the capability to comprehend questions that must be accounted for in any comprehensive and accurate answers, as he inadvertently avoids the most important topics. He is not experience or even qualified enough, and he needs an incremental improvement in his performance. Anyway, i have a tendency to challenge his intelligence because, I voted for this minster for all of these years, and I am embarrass and ashamed to know that I voted for this man. Health care is of importance and we need someone who will take charge and stay true to their word indefinitely.
The reason health care is so expensive for most people here is because Cayman Islands is a welfare system. Those paying for healthcare are also paying for the healthcare of the welfare recipients. The reason it is so expensive here for those who pay the taxes is your paying taxes for you and all those who do not contribute anything but get a free paycheck because they are part of the Caymanian royalty group. Most of Caymans money is spent of paychecks for those who vote. The cost will never get lower unless the Cayman culture is challenged and changed. (not gonna happen in your lifetime) Because those who vote vote only for those who will continue to pay them for it. Like this clown..
Pretty clear you have no idea how healthcare works here or anywhere and are probably taking talking points from places like Fox News
The more the liability is spread in the healthcare pool the LOWER the costs for everyone, this has nothing to do with welfare or taxation
The reason why the prices are so high is because the private companies are out to make a profit in an industry in which there should be no profit motive, if your smart idea is to divvy up the market even further than it already is you have even less common sense than you have already indicated
Creating one large health care pool under a not for profit single payer system is the best way to bring down the rates as is show in dozens of countries around the world
We are stuck using this godforsaken US system of healthcare and until we ditch that and ignore people like you who have absolutely no idea what you are talking about this will never get any better
One large health care pool isn’t the way to go. Public and private working together is. With proper regulation it can, and does work, in many countries with amazing efficiency.
The more the cost of high risk patients is spread, the lower the cost for them, but the higher the costs for the low risk patients. It may be a moral or socially superior solution, but you can’t say it lowers the costs for everyone. It just doesn’t.
Then why do I have to contribute to an on island insurance company when I already have a very good off island one. And the on island one will never pay more than I pay them? And who pays the bill for the civil service health care? Or is that why they are a billion in dept and getting more every year?
Please watch CIGtv 19th…during the youth parliament… I thought for a moment that Mr. White was one of the kids when he spoke…until I put on my glasses. How in the world, can we as a country ,take and sacrifice legislatures such as Mr. Archer, for people like Mr. White and Kenneth Bryan. It is very much like the Fire Service, putting people in charge that can’t even read and write… because they are Caymanian.
He is Mr. Wight.
Oh dear.. Mr Wight as you didn’t put it, is a child. He can’t speak without Alden’s hand up his back helping his mouth move. Archer was played by Alden. Kenneth has got more balls than all of them.
Go home if u don’t like it.
This is Cayman not a Canada or UK or USA.
I stay because I love it here and support caymanians. Signed a paper Caymanian!!
I heard Tara on the radio last night and I really cannot believe she has a law degree. Wow!
Vote NO!
What an excellent reporting piece CNS. You (and the Compass) have definitely stepped up your coverage on the national issues and are emerging as the defacto opposition. Keep it up and keep the pressure on. Well Done.
There’s a problem with news outlets doing more than ‘just’ reporting the news factually and without fear or favour. That’s not a knock on CNS or the Compass. But please do not encourage – or even suggest – news organisations to be ‘defacto opposition’. Imagine them as ‘defacto government’. Neither is good. Please do continue to support good, factual, neutral reporting.
Big plans for a large, dimwitted minister. This is probably the first time he’s had so much on his plate that he can’t possibly hope to finish. 2021 can’t come soon enough when it comes to replacing this sack of dead weight.
Better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you are stupid than to open your mouth and confirm it! Dwayne Seymour need I say more….
Either way, it wouldn’t matter with whom you speak of. 😉
Please God we don’t have a Governor who sees his appointment as a comfortable sinecure where he takes no interest in the management of the island by Cabinet, and turns a blind eye to the utter incompetence of its individual members.
Seriously though what do you expect from that idiot Dwayne. Since becoming Health Minister he has never attended any health insurance committee meetings because I suspect he was afraid someone might ask him a question. Gaypril fools on you Dwayne. Karma nice eh?
No man. He still paying my aunt CUC! He good for that!
We desperately need a provision in the draft amendment to the Constitution allowing for incompetent Ministers (and Speakers), to be “impeached”. Donald is bad, but at least he has some business acumen. We really cannot allow this situation to continue without the Government being deemed a laughing stock.
Too late. The only ones more ignorant and foolish is the ones who vote for him and his kind.
are.. not “is the ones”
At any time, Voters can petition the Governor to dissolve the LA and call elections, or simply compel enactment of Standards in Public Life Law per the Constitution. The Governor has the power to do that (for now). Concurrently, our “Cabinet” aims to strip those reserve backstop powers. No need to retain any Governor role at all, if they are no longer able to manifest the Queen’s veto as a British Dependent Territory. Our governance thereafter devolves into a full career kleptocrat dictatorship gravy train of zero accountability and credibility, where developers and business interests can pay for outcomes with full impunity, politicians can hire analytica lobbyists to sway fickle voter opinion or tamper with elections, using our money, and without fear of discovery and/or criminal penalty.
What? You mean just like now?
Nice command of words 9:55 now can you say it like it is: we are. Caught in a claustrrguvious frigtiliuos situation of incompetence. Tthere that says it all in a concise manner.
Sorry, 8:12 am, it’s too late!
The man is an idiot, plain and simple an idiotb
I don’t know what an “idiotb” is, but I will agree with you!
Wow, just wow………
He is so out of his depth it’s embarrassing. He is the very definition of incompetence.
At least Mrs. Connolly was taking notes….Mr. White spent the two hours texting…the constitution need to be changed…there is just too much unnecessary representation.
Mr. Panton will be returning in 2021…God’s willing…not just to protect our environment, but to also protect our finances…along with Mr. Archer. It is quite bothersome when we know that representatives like Mr. Panton and Mr. Archer were the “contractors and the block layers” towards managing our country’s finance’s and the present legislatures is now having a ball with it.
I’m not voting for anyone that’s drinking the red koolaid.
It’s time to go!
He’s got “ Third World “ written all over him. But perhaps unfair to make fun of him – if you are born to be useless, there ain’t much you can do about it………
“you don’t see nuthin” Duhhhhwayne
any comment mr governor?
aren’t you meant to ensure good governance?
jon-jon….the perfect example of why status holders should be allowed run for office asap.
Yup. We need more jon-jons. I guess we’ll have to import them.
Yow will never happen you hear me I’m sick and tired of this rhetoric soon out a stop to it. You will see me🤨
Poor John John, he doesn’t have a clue..Enjoy the big paycheck now while you can..your report card is a big fat F.
BTE Voter
What a surprise
The buffoon who thought “gaypril” was hilarious and appropriate for a legislature
Has no idea what he is doing and no plans for his ministry
Reminder this is the guy who ran on a moratorium on work permits
How is that commie John John?
By last count there are more work permits than ever before, clearly all come here to celebrate “gaypril” I guess
Thank you, Somebody else who remembers his commitment to “no more work permits until all Caymanians are employed” bullshit. We had the exact same bullshit from another hopeful politician George Ebanks decades ago. I hope all Bodden Towners who supported these idiots realise how they were played. Some Caymanians may be out of work, but any politician that promises you that they will preventing the hiring of expat bank executives because some layabout is bitching about not getting employed is either a fool or a liar.
I used to think the rest of the ministers were bad but no one is more clearly out of their depth in terms of assignments than Dwayne
Never has there been a more obvious case of a leader simply assigning a ministry to an member of a legislature in exchange for their support not because of any expertise or potential unique capabilities of the member but to inflate his ego, increase his salary and thus his motivation to support the government
I really disagree with you 10:15Pm about your first paragraph – as I think you forget about the lady from West Bay – what are her unique capabilities to serve in her capacity???
She is extremely competent and is as (if not more) qualified than the previous Minister. Check her credentials. Stop being so prejudiced and biased! And she has done more to bring the financial services industry along and involved than Wayne Panton ever did during his entire 4 years.
She left Min of Education in a sorry state so I highly doubt she is working any wonders in terms of Financial Services
That garbage she is planning now sounds like it will be a rousing success though… off to Hollywood on the governments dime to pursue her dreams of being a movie star or whatever
Nothing to do and nothing but time to do it in
She is another waste of space. All that big talk at the C4C rally in the AL Thompson parking lot and she sucked right up to the ppm to get a seat with a fat cushy pay cheque. Just hearing her voice makes my blood boil
Democracy is great until a mason becomes Minister of Finance.
Intellectually, the issues surrounding health insurances costs are well over the Health Minister’s capability. As for the DUMP, he is well over his head in terms of making any progress on the issue.
As for the environment, please, please, please, bring back Wayne Panton.
I could not agree with your comment any more. This is sadly not a surprise. Firstly I blame the voters in BTE for electing this man. Secondly I blame the Newland voters for not re-electing Wayne Panton. Thirdly and the one I hold most accountable is Alden Mclaughlin for putting this man in a position he knew he was not qualified to undertake. If Dwayne was in the private sector he would have been fired for not being accountable to the Board or Stakeholders of the Company or entity he worked for. I am a voter and have no alliance to any party. I believe in electing and selecting the right qualified persons to do the job. This is simply unacceptable and who will he be accountable to ? The brainless government that put him there in the first place.
Vote No
Vote yes
vote yes to voting no
Vote maybe!
just do the best you can for your kids future. No one expects the miracle of Caymanians making good choices any more. How did you survive this far into the future is beyond me.
Because our leaders prior to the lot elected in the last 20 years actually had decency, love of country and at least a modicum of intelligence, unlike this bunch! Even JB, as corrupt as he may have been, at least knew how to get things done!