Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D Wheatley (R7) has described Minster for Health and Social Development Honourable Vincent O Wheatley(R9) as a capable minister. Photo: Government of the Virgin Islands

The BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) has been struggling to carry out its responsibilities in an efficient manner. Photo: BVIHSA

Speaking during the Continuation of the Nineteenth Sitting of the First Session of the Fifth House of Assembly (HoA) on September 24, 2024, Premier Wheatley said the challenges faced by the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) have been recognised.

The House was debating the BVI Health Services Authority Amendment Bill 2024.

“It’s not my job to bemoan those challenges. My job is to fix them and I have a very capable minister who’s been catching some flak recently and you would think he created the problem.”

Problems in health sector will be addressed- Premier

The Premier also said the way Hon Wheatley has been constantly under fire would give the impression that he has been on the job for a long time.

“He came and met the problems, and it is his duty to be able to fix the problem,” Dr Wheatley said.

He added that the problems in the health sector will be addressed by the Health Minister together with the government and the various entities needed to support the efforts.

Premier Wheatley reminded that the issues facing the health system did not appear overnight but have existed for some time. He added that while the issues have persisted “it is certainly not our intention to pass the problem along to any other administration” and so this current government must deal with it.