As arrangements are being made for the official launching of the National Health Insurance System, by the Anguilla Social Security Board, it has been announced that the Founder of Social Security, Mr James Ronald Webster, and others who served with him are to be recognised for their contribution.
A release from the Social Security Board, which came to the attention of The Anguillian, stated that Mr Webster, and his parliamentary colleagues of 1980, when Social Security was introduced by him, “are being recognised for the noteworthy initiative”.
According to the release, the above recognition was approval by the Anguilla Social Security Board on Thursday, October 23. The approval was “for all members of the 1980 Third Meeting of the First Session of the Second Anguilla Legislative Assembly to be automatic members of the National Health Insurance Pilot Project”.
In addition to Mr Webster, the other recipients of the recognition are Mr Franklin Connor, Mr Nashville Webster, Mr Albert Hughes, Mr Euton Smith, Sir Emile Gumbs and Mr Hubert Hughes. The recognition has also been extended to “other members who are no longer with us – the late Connell Harrigan, Watkins Hodge and Col Claudius Roberts”, the release stated.
Mr Alkins Rogers, Chairman of the Social Security Board, has been quoted as saying that the recognition was “a small but fitting gesture for our visionary leaders”. He further remarked that Mr Webster “was not perturbed by his distractors who today are reaping the benefits of the [Social Security] system”.
Meanwhile, the release explained that the National Health Insurance [System] “is a pilot project instituted by the Anguilla Social Security Board to provide medical cover for persons over 65 and children under 5”.
The Project Manager is Dr Lanny Hobson who, according to the release, has been given approval to employ additional staff. Offices for the staff have been secured by the National Insurance Committee in the annex of the National Bank of Anguilla.
The release added: “Since the soft launch several months ago the NHI has registered and covered over 50 persons. The official launch will take place at the NHI Building on Monday, 3 November 2014”.
