National Insurance Scheme and the short-term Unemployment benefit discussed with Social Security officials

Governor General His Excellency Sir Edmund Lawrence and Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas touring the new Old Road Health Center

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, APRIL 22ND 2013 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas is adamant that a government-sponsored National Health Insurance Scheme is urgent and critical to the advancement and well-being as an independent people and indicated that a short term unemployment benefit must be pursued earnestly.

Speaking at the official opening of the new Old Road Health Center, Dr. Douglas noted that his St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Administration last year ensured that every single government employee, regardless of rank or station, had access to free, comprehensive, and identical health insurance.

“We are now putting in place the relevant pieces to ensure that every national of St. Kitts and Nevis, similarly, will have access to Government-provided health care insurance,” said Prime Minister Douglas, who as Minister with responsibility for Social Security while receiving and discussing the latest actuarial review of the St. Kitts-Nevis Social Security Scheme with the director and the actuary discussed the way forward for the introduction of the national insurance scheme and the short-term unemployment benefit.

“I also emphasized in that meeting that the matter of the haemodialysis initiative is also very critical and important not only to the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, but more so to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis, who continue to suffer from chronic renal failure and other similar illnesses that need the input and the service of haemodialysis in order to keep our people alive,” Dr. Douglas said.

“And all these happenings are important because with each year that dawns, we as a government think not only about what we may have already accomplished or what we may have already delivered, but about what else we might do as a caring government for the people of our country. And so, we are always attempting to identify and pursue additional ways to meet the needs of the people we serve,” said Prime Minister Douglas.