P.S.U. urges boycott of Social Security Card

While the Social Security Board is running advertisements urging all Belizeans to sign up for the new Social Security Card, the Public Service Union is telling its members not to submit their applications until they get more information about the new National Health Insurance Scheme. The Union says it has received complaints from members that the Social Security Board has yet to inform people what percentage of their income will be deducted to pay for the scheme and public officers have not been presented with a benefits package. The Union says they are dissatisfied with what they term “the hasty approach to the implementation of N.H.I. by April first.” Even further, they say the legislation should not be prepared without a thorough revision of the health system, they object to the issuing of new cards before the law is passed and condemn the lack of involvement by key stakeholders and the public. When contacted by News Five the Social Security Board said it has yet to determine the percentage of income to be deducted and will not be able to do so until the registration process is complete. Minister of Budget and Planning, Ralph Fonseca told News Five that at the current time, applying for the new Social Security Card and the proposed National Health Insurance Plan have nothing to do with each other. Fonseca says even if the insurance plan was not in the pipeline, Belizeans would still need to apply for the new card which, right now, simply replaces the previous card. Fonseca says the National Health Insurance scheme is still being developed. He says the process includes consultation with officials in the Health Planning Unit and adds that “pilots” or tests, for the program will be carried out in Orange Walk and on the southside of Belize City before the plan is implemented nationwide some time in the future.