IF IT isn't corruption, it is negligence - a shocking litany of waste, extravagance and maladministration, the latest lament being the proposal by the Ministry of Health to write off $300 million of hospital accounts receivable as uncollectible.
This comes on top of the $350 million yet to be accounted for in Operation Pride, the evidentiary files of which have mysteriously disappeared. And this in turn comes on top of about $200 million in back pay and increases for parliamentarians, not to mention the current mischief of 'jobs for the boys... and girls' consultancy payments which, taken with end-of-contract gratuities, could amount to another $150 million. And the list goes on!
All of this is costing the country over a billion dollars and Jamaican taxpayers are being hit hard. No wonder they are singing the blues with more bad news to come!
In the case of hospital charges, Jamaicans should be able to get the best possible health care even if they are unable to pay for all of it. But it appears that the Government's cost-recovery programme has been ineptly administered, both as to those who are eligible for free care and collecting from those who are not. Given the prevalence of 'ginnalship' in the society, we understand that collecting fees due from patients is not an easy matter; but the assurance given by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health to the Public Accounts Committee that steps are now being taken to tighten up the system, is an admission of current slackness, another example of 'too little, too late.'
In his ongoing efforts for greater transparency and accountability, Mr. Seaga, Opposition Leader, is proposing an amendment to the current Oath of Office, requiring that the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and other ministers swear to provide for the "good management of the public affairs of Jamaica and, in particular, to observe all the laws for the protection of the revenue and the prudent and just administration of the public affairs of Jamaica."
This is a small step in the right direction but, given the broad mental reservations with which allegiance to the Queen was sworn to by some politicians before the oath was changed, we doubt that the Seaga resolution, if passed, will have much Constitutional force; perhaps another example of 'too little, too late.'
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
