Cayman Islands Health Minister, Dwayne
Seymour claimed his ministry was looking at the proposal to provide
free healthcare to all our children.

This was after a private member's
motion brought by Bodden Town minister, Chris Saunders , for
Government to look at the possibility to provide same.

However, premier Alden McLaughlin poured cold water immediately on the proposal.

He said, “It is the easiest thing to
say that government should do more, but government has to have the
means to do it. This country needs new investment and new industries
and therefore should not do rash things that discourage investment.”

Apparently, continuing providing the
social support the community has come to expect would discourage
that.

That is not going to win the premier
many votes.

The premier, however, is happy to
consider the proposal.

It is quite clear where his happiness
is going to stop.

We know that healthcare costs a lot of money and the insurance companies have been allowed to only insure the people most likely not to want healthcare.

It's not only children who need free healthcare, it is also the aged.

No one has taken the initiative in
making any provisions at all for these two vulnerable groups and
there has been nothing “rash” in even discussing it.

Saunders said he brought the motion
“because it was the right thing to do”. He knew the Cayman's
economy is fragile but at least we should make a start in trying to
do something. He wanted everyone to work together and not let
politics get in the way.

Seymour said government already spends
significant amounts of money on healthcare for uninsured and
under-insured Caymanians and providing free healthcare for all
children was “ambitious”. Never-the-less if an appropriate
funding mechanism was in place it could be done.

No one has yet been able to come up
with “an appropriate funding mechanism”.

If such a funding mechanism is found
how much of it would actually go on healthcare for the children?

Or the elderly?

Or the under insured?

Or the uninsured?

Sorry. Free healthcare for children is
unlikely.