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Story - Saba Government Information Services
The Bottom, Saba: October 13, 2005
Commissioner of Public Health Ms. Lisa Hassell is presently in Curacao for personal medical reasons but while there on Thursday morning she met with a representative of the FZOG to discuss matters related to many former government civil servants that falls under this institution in terms of medical care.
Several persons on the island that are insured under the FZOG has been complaining that they are not being treated right when it comes to their sickness benefits and things were staying way to long to be completed.
Commissioner Hassell told the SGIS that on Thursday morning she was able to obtain the green light for one pensioner that needs to travel to Puerto Rico to undergo surgery. The request to the FZOG was pending for some two months and on Thursday she was able to have everything approved so that the pensioner could travel within short. Commissioner Hassell went on to state that there must come a solution to all of these type of problems we just cannot accept it any longer the way things are going when it comes to the pensioners. These persons have served their respective islands well and whenever it concerns them they are being runned around and we need to find a better way on how to deal with these matters.
On Friday the Commissioner is also expected to hold talks with the representatives of the General Pension Funds of the Netherlands Antilles regarding the status of several civil servants that falls under this funds. While I am on Curacao I hope to conclude many pending issues for some of our people.
Commissioner Hassell also stated that there are certain things that needs to be done in order for things to go faster than what it is now also from our side as Executive Council. Commissioner Hassell said that she will be also extending an invitation to members of the Pension Funds to travel to Saba and hold information sessions for all civil servants working for the Island as well as the Federal Government. We have many persons that fall under the APNA but many of them are not aware of what they are entitled to and as Commissioner I think it is my duty to make sure that all of our civil servants are well aware of their benefits etc. Once back on the island I will request my colleagues within the Executive Council to go along with me to make sure that our civil servants receive the necessary information that they are entitled to.
Commissioner Hassell said that she made use of the opportunity while on Curacao to look into several important issues for the island. I was also able to discuss the debt that FZOG has to the Island Government for the treatment of their patients. Within short I look forward in us being able to have this matter solved. As everyone knows it is not cheap any more when it comes to medical care and we need to have a serious look at that aspect.
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