The Bahamas Insurance Association (BIA) said yesterday it is utterly disgusted by the "vile, distasteful and xenophobic" statements made by Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller regarding BIA Chairman Emmanuel Komolafe.
"It is simply unacceptable and inappropriate for Mr. Komolafe and/or members of his family to be attacked on a personal level," said BIA Coordinator Dr. Rhonda Chipman-Johnson during a press conference at Bahamas First on Collins Avenue.
"As the duly elected chairman of the association, he is the face of the association and expresses its views and various positions. Yes, Mr. Komolafe is Nigerian and indeed he is proud of his African heritage. He has, however, adopted The Bahamas as his home and has embraced the Bahamian culture. He is married to a Bahamian woman and is the proud father of three children born in The Bahamas."
In an interview with NB12 that aired on Sunday, Miller said the government's National Health Insurance (NHI) is the best way to solve the high cost of healthcare in the country and private insurers are only concerned about their bottom line.
"The problem is they want to tell the government what to do," Miller said. "And because the government is not going with their plan, they are accusing the government of not being fair and not knowing what it is doing.
"...In Nigeria, what health plan [do] they have? They have none. So take your health plan to Nigeria and help out your brothers and sisters over there.
"We don't need your help. We know how to implement the plan. That is all I am saying.
"I don't know the guy, you know. I have never met the guy. He said the government is going on a nationalization program, which I take offense to because nationalization and expropriation has never been the tenet of this government."
Johnson said Komolafe has made a valuable contribution to The Bahamas. She said if the government wants to build a stronger Bahamas, more people like Komolafe are needed.
"There is no such thing as Mr. Komolafe's plan, but rather it is the BIA's alternative plan developed by hardworking, qualified and competent Bahamian professionals within the insurance industry," Johnson said. Johnson also said the association has noted the government's "deafening silence". She asked whether "Miller is a surrogate for the government and whether the prime minister views the industry with the same level of disdain".
"The lack of response from the minister of finance, minister of financial services and minister of state for finance, who all share responsibility for the insurance sector, is disturbing," Johnson said. "We also note that the Ministry of Health, permanent secretary for NHI, NHI project manager and the National Insurance Board have not distanced themselves from remarks that do not promote collaboration with key NHI stakeholders.
"Perhaps Mr. Miller speaks for them as well or they approve of his offensive comments. The BIA demands an answer from government now."
Johnson added that this is the worst experience the BIA has had with any government in an independent Bahamas.
She said it appears the government is advancing a political agenda.
In a statement last week, the BIA said the government has rejected the association's universal health coverage proposal and the Christie administration intends to create a public insurer to provide NHI benefits. The BIA anticipated that this would result in "another loss-making public institution that will be a burden on the Bahamian taxpayer and will provide poor service to medical providers and the public alike".
Registration for NHI began on Monday. But details on the scheme, including the full cost, remain unclear. It is also unclear which physicians will provide care under the primary care proposal. Consultant Physicians Staff Association doctors have not signed onto the scheme and expressed concerns about being ignored and marginalized.
Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian
