UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO UNIVERSAL COVERAGE THE PATH TO EQUITY, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND PROSPERITY Dr. Kenneth Baugh, MP Opposition Spokesman on Health Sectoral Debate Presentation 2013/ 14 1
CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEM ENTS / INTRODUCTORY REM ARKS 1.0 CONSTITUENCY M ATTERS 2.0 THE HEALTH SECTOR – POLICY OF UNIVERSAL ACCESS 3.0 CURRENT STATUS AND THE CASE FOR UNIVERSAL COVERAGE 4.0 M EDICAL TOURISM & E-HEALTH / TELE-M EDICINE 5.0 2
1.0 ACKNOWLEDGM ENTS / INTRODUCTORY REM ARKS M r. Speaker, thank you for affording me this opportunity to speak in the Sectoral Debates 2013/ 14. Let me commend you on your stewardship as Speaker of the House. The gracious and admirable manner in which you have been presiding is an inspiration to us all. Let me pay tribute to the Leader of the Opposition, former Prime M inister, AndrewHolness. I am indebted to him for this privileged appointment to adviseon, and speak to issues concerning the health and well-being of the Jamaican people. Like my colleagues on both sides of the House, I too feel and sense of awe and indebtedness to the people of our constituencies; mine being West Central St. Catherine. It is an honour to be able to execute parliamentary duty with their endorsement, as we convene to formulate policy, debate the budget, and pursue legislative work in the precincts of this historic, noble and hallowed chamber. We are humbled by the fact that some of our National Heroes and our great forebears sat on these seats and spoke within these very walls; shaping the future of our beloved nation. 3
M r. Speaker, had I not taken the decision to venture into public life by way of representational politics, then I would, at this stage of my life, be feeling a sense of dereliction of duty to my generation. So, M r. Speaker, I am proud to be part of this exercise – the conduct of a Parliamentary Democracy, where the people are our sovereign – to whom we are answerable, and with whose consent we take part in this noble exercise. I have been lucky to have had a very understanding family, a family that has afforded me the time and the space to serve in this manner. I wish to thank my dear wife, my children and grandchildren for their support over the years and an apparent willingness to put up with my extendedbouts of absence from home as well as numerous family occasions. M y extended family, over these past sixteen years, has been the people of the Constituency of West Central St. Catherine. I pause to salute them at this time. I take this opportunity to thank all my workers who are supportive and dedicated to hard work, not only for the winning of elections, but for the implementation of initiatives and programmes aimed at improving their quality of life. I am deeply indebted to my Councillors, and Councillor care-taker, the Chairman and members of my M anagement Team, District Supervisors and all my agents, for 4
their loyalty to the cause, and consistency over the years which have brought a level of stability and upliftment to the Constituency. 2.0 CONSTITUENCY M ATTERS M r. Speaker, I have already recorded in this House my gratitude to former Transport & Works M inister, M r. M ike Henry and his team at the then Works Agency, who presided over the Jamaica Development Infrastructure Programme (JDIP). I am also deeply indebted to the Government of the Peoples’ Republic of China and to China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) for the effective work done in my Constituency. I also wish to thank the current M inister, the Hon. Omar Davies, for accommodating the continuation of very important work in the communities of Fairview and Ebony Vale. This work addresses almost half a century of frustration on the part of residents in those and neighbouring communities as a result of repeated incidents of flooding and destruction of such infrastructure as: roads, drainage, homes and personalproperty. 5
I will be even more grateful in the near future if the M inister were to accommodate us further in undertaking the plans that have been made for improved drainage,in addition to preserving the gains that have already been made. The most important achievement so far has been the provision of water supplies to Kitson Town, Buxton Town and their environs. The water system the communities now boast, alleviate more than half a century of extreme inconvenience, indignity and frustration. This has been largely due to the innovative leadership of the then Water & Housing M inister, Dr. Horace Chang. We have a commitment from the current M inister, the Hon. Robert Pickersgill to extend connections to neighbouring communities and to expand the catchment and pumping facilities of the Gold M ine system, which supplies the hills of St. Catherine centred around Brown’s Hall. Next year, I will be pleased to express thanks to him when this crucial project would have been completed. In general, there have been major improvements in the infrastructure of roads, water and community centres, and I must express my gratitude to the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), coming out of the Lift-up Jamaica programmes 6
as well as the communities, where citizens contributed their labour and expertise in advancing the progress of these projects. Whereas major challenges still exist with regard to community roads, generally speaking, the state of the main roads has seen steady improvements over the past ten years. In the absence of timely maintenance, however, this investment and these important gains will be eroded. M r. Speaker, I am pleased to advise that the community of Kitson Town has embarked on an initiative coming from the people themselves, for the attainment of past glory of Kitson Town in sporting and entertainment activities at the Community Centres, along with business &commerce; the revival of the market being at the centre of their efforts. Eco- and cultural tourism being undertaken by these people, bring to life the rich history and cultural vibrancy of this region, dating back to Juan de Bolas, Cudjoe, and the old parish of St. John where the original Parish Church is situated; replete with a range of artefacts and historical datathat have survived the passage of time. 7
In addition to that M r. Speaker, the constituency boaststhe Belmont Property where our two most recent National Heroes, Alexander and Norman lived and worked before they embarked on their historic journey. M r. Speaker, the most important issue, about which I am passionate, is the failure of the rural agricultural economy – a failure that is affecting so many families and communities across the island. This is a fundamental issue as it goes to the heart of our children’s inability to acquire proper education, the highincidents of crime across the society, increasing urban-sprawl and inner-city formation, and the abuse and marginalization of our emergent young people; our boys in particular. In my view M r. Speaker, the restoration of the family and community requires a holistic, strategic and fully integrated approach, with the rural agricultural economy at the centre. These hills and valleys are fertile for a wide range of primary products. The farmers are traditionally skilled and knowledgeable about all the inputs. The interventions necessary for maximised production are: access to roads to arable land, activation of small water supplies, rain water harvesting, and most importantly, access to capital (finance and equipment). Of critical importance is a policy that is sensitive to and emphasizes, the quality of life and the livelihood of 8
the Jamaican farmer, within the context of a stable domestic economy; an economy having strong links to agro-processing, tourism and export. At all costs this policy should aim to prevent the creation of a glut through importation, even in the current climate of increased global trade and liberalised trade agreements. M r. Speaker, this Honourable House will recall my questions regarding the importation of pork, which is not merely about pork, but more so, about a principle that has to be established. It has been reported recently that 3 M illion kilos of pork have been imported into the island. Pig farmers in my constituency have been unable to sell their pork and unable to feed their pigs. M r. Speaker, I believe in partnerships between large operators and exporters linking backwards, to small and micro-enterprises in a bid to upgrade quantity and quality of production in meeting international standards, bringing viability to the poor rural farmers, achieving food security and securing macro-economic stability. I believe that all the attempts to stem the flood of crime are wasted without such targeted and meaningful interventions. 9
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