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NHI protest group @ odds over petition to Queen

- one member allegedly walks out of meeting
December 14th, 2015 | Tags: NHI petition Natalio D. Wheatley Queen FCO disagreement
Some of members of the NHI Concerned Citizens and Residents Group. From left: Doug Wheatley, Edmund G. Maduro, Winston E. Nibbs aka La Fontey and Natalio D. Wheatley aka Sowande Uhuru. Reports reaching Virgin Islands News Online is that there seems to be a serious disagreement among members of the NHI Concerned Citizens and Residents Group regarding a petition that the group intends to send to Buckingham Palace. Photo: VINO/File
The NHI Concerned Citizens and Residents Group, according to our source, is now seeking to send the NHI petition to the Queen since it has not received any official response from Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith on the petition delivered to him two months ago. Photo: VINO/File
The NHI Concerned Citizens and Residents Group, according to our source, is now seeking to send the NHI petition to the Queen since it has not received any official response from Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith on the petition delivered to him two months ago. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Reports reaching Virgin Islands News Online is that there seems to be a serious disagreement among members of the NHI Concerned Citizens and Residents Group regarding a petition that the group intends to send to Buckingham Palace.

Such is the difference in opinion over the procedure that one member of the group allegedly walked out of a meeting of the group last evening, December 13, 2015.

According to information reaching this news site, some members of the group want to send the petition to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), in the hope that it then gets to the Queen while one member in particular believes it should be sent to the Governor John S. Duncan OBE who would then forward it to the Queen.

According to the source, the group was allegedly instructed by the Governor’s Office to send the petition to the FCO, however, one member is adamant that it should go through the Governor, which he believes would be the correct procedure.

The lead person behind the petition and the NHI Concerned Citizens and Residents Group, Mr Natalio D. Wheatley declined to comment when contacted.

Turning to the Queen on NHI

The NHI Concerned Citizens and Residents Group, according to our source, is now seeking to send the NHI petition to the Queen since it has not received any official response from Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith on the petition delivered to him two months ago.

On October 13, 2015 the protest group submitted its petition against the National Health Insurance (NHI), along with a detailed letter, proposing a number of alternatives which it would like to see Government consider instead of the scheme in the current format.

The petition had garnered close to 1,000 signatures.

Premier Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith had said the petition and its recommendations were with a committee headed by Minister for Health and Social Development, Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton.

However, on December 1, 2015 Mr Wheatley said that nearly two months on, the group had received no communication from Government on the number of measures proposed for what they believe would be the improving of the NHI Scheme.

“We hope that the government will be willing to consider the options we have put forward,” said Wheatley when contacted recently. “We especially hope that the government will consider an NHI that is not compulsory and financed through different avenues,” he had added.

14 Responses to “NHI protest group @ odds over petition to Queen”

  • ccc (14/12/2015, 11:16) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply

    So ed>>>>> blow up and walked out!

  • Schups (14/12/2015, 11:52) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    Will he tell the queen about his trigger finger? These guys cannot be serious. So many issues affecting the youth in this country and they always up and down beating dead horses. Cover the issue of crime, poverty, issues with education/school, Hospital, elderly home etc.
  • wize up (14/12/2015, 12:34) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    so these guys bypassing the Queen's representative in the territory and going straight to the Boss, this should be fun and cant wait to see the outcome
  • tretretrete (14/12/2015, 13:04) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    hey friends send it to the govornor and CC the FCO...DUHHH!!!!
  • GoSidung (14/12/2015, 13:39) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
    Here these assorted nuts go again, running to the white house to resolve their temper tantrums. The only thing the Queen could tell them is how much better the UK's National Health Service works than the US model or the other nonsensical alternatives they came up with. smdh
  • My boy (14/12/2015, 16:20) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Them jokers making sure them ending the year with a bang. LOL
  • zoe (14/12/2015, 16:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Edmund is too much
  • lmao (14/12/2015, 16:43) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    The queen has NHI
  • Employer (14/12/2015, 17:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The people of this territory is the government employer. Soon The employees will have NO jobs.
  • edmund & the gang (14/12/2015, 22:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I ready to battle aginist NHI but they only have clowns at this hour!
  • Kello (14/12/2015, 23:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Who is getting paid off to allow this in fighting?
  • middle class (15/12/2015, 08:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    So all you think only the wealthy and well paid here should have good healthcare and live long?


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