Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, aims to remedy a situation that currently exists at the Dominica Infirmary where family members are the sole beneficiaries of the possessions of residents but the state is left to bear the full burden of taking care of these residents.
The prime minister said, all of this is going to change.
“And I am saying to them that we are going to change that policy,” he told the Annual General Meeting of the Grotto Home held at the Fort Young Hotel on Monday.
He pointed out that although the government is covering all operational costs of the Infirmary, two weeks ago an additional EC$ 70,000 was sought for improvement work at the facility.
“But you have people who have family members and these family members have lots of land, they have money in the bank, they receive a pension, they receive social security benefits and these families are not giving the infirmary not one dollar of the pensions or the monies that they receive from social security,” Skerrit said.
He is of the view that if any one is to be a resident of the Infirmary and is a recipient of pension, “you must sign a legal document assigning that money to the Infirmary to take care of your father, your grandfather, your mother, your aunty or yourself.
“And if you have land, you should sell the land or bequeath the land to the infirmary so that they can liquidate it so that they can help pay for your maintenance,” he said.
He is questioning whether Dominica should begin having discussions on instituting a levy on everyone’s salaries of “half a percent or one percent that would go into a special fund to help provide for these people who needs help.”
“The brunt of the responsibility should not fall on the state,” he opined. “It cannot be fair to the state and the management of the Infirmary that somebody who has money, as small or as big as it is, would leave that money in the bank or family members would benefit from it and the persons who work for that money cannot benefit and enjoy that money.”
The prime minister said has suggested that the Infirmary management send a recommendation on that matter to the board and send him and the Minister of Social Services a copy so that they can discuss it and take decisions.
“Because we have as family our first responsibility to take care of our family,” Skerrit said.
The Dominica Infirmary is a government assisted home for the elderly which provides institutional care for destitute, aged, and infirmed citizens.
Please someone post the contact information for the infirmary,so that I can donate something to them, thanks
All the more reason to remove skerrit from office.
You complaining about $77000 ec that was spent
On our parents, our senior citizens, our folks.
What about the $500000 you gave to the catholic church.
Why don’t you investigate the looting going on in that institution. You have administrators of that institution coming in on off days to cook their own meals. The basement house a lot of donated merchandise. All shared amongst staff. The residents eat the same food 365days a year. I tired see wickedness. Skerrit may God give you your just deserve. You can fool all the wicked people all the time. But you can’t fool good people no time.
But the money from the Government is from taxpayers and other citizens. So after I pay tax, vat, customs duty, license fees and zero percent increase in salary you still want another percentage for the infirmary? I would tell you where to get it from you know.
It is a shame
I give my full support you on this matter Mr. PM.
It is indeed a shame on us to inherit monies or properties from our beloved relatives and yet find it burdensome to care for them. Gone are the days when everything was free of charge, yet, be careful on how you initiate these changes or implement these new laws .
“But you have people who have family members and these family members have lots of land, they have money in the bank, they receive a pension, they receive social security benefits and these families are not giving the infirmary not one dollar of the pensions or the monies that they receive from social security,” (Roosevelt Skerrit Prime Minister).
Mr .Skerrit, the comments above should not have come from the Prime Minister of Dominica, especially one who has given away five hundred thousand dollars of tax payers money to a very wealthy organization such as the Roman Catholic Church which undoubtedly is the richest organization in the world. In addition to that you have also given free money to the same tune of five hundred thousand dollars to people who owns Radio Station in Dominica, and more
There are other instances where rich people are benefiting from the government everyday in our country, they are people who supports you and your government. You are talking about poor people who may have a bit of land they may want to leave to their relatives, such as a grandchild. Commonsense should dictate if these people have to leave their homes, and be sitting in a poor house as we call it in Dominica, they deserve the care the government has afforded them thus far.
If the wealthy can benefit at the taxpayers expense, these people who have worked all their life to keep Dominica afloat deserves the handout they are getting from the taxpayers. When we talk about government money, that money does not belong to you nor any of your so called ministers of government, the money actually belongs to the same people sitting in the infirmary.
Let us be fair, you are not fair at all, sorry you did not expect such comment from me, nevertheless, I cannot support that sort of rhetoric, that is beneath me, it is unconscionable for you to think that way. You are displaying a “don’t care attitude” and such attitude is going to cost you the election; because your opinion is here is nothing more than wickedness!
On the other hand if these people are receiving a pension, perhaps they should contribute a small amount of that to their upkeep, but to suggest they leave, or sign over their property to you or the government is wicked. Again many Dominicans will not speak out as I can. I have nothing to loose or gain from any government in Dominica, I want nothing form government, so I am bold in speaking the truth, what you are contemplating is outright wrong, and wicked.
DNO I do hope that you will print this, I am responsible for all of my comments, and can deal with the consequence, I will also be posting my comment verbatim in another forum where the Prime Minister, and his colleagues are also recipients of my comments, and I do not see anything in my comments, which constitutes an law suit against you.
Nobody should laugh, nor agree with the plans of the Prime Minister, because it could be any of us old relatives he is talking about. If you are giving Charity, to people give it to the poor, and not wealthy people such as the Roman Catholic Chruch.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Government assisted so that means it’s owned by another organization. My guess is that the infirmary is owned by the catholic church. So once again we see the collusion of church and state. So is Mr Skerrit suggesting that the church needs help in taking away people properties. The church should put in place better screening processes for taking inmates at the infirmary and the problem will be solved. I suspect that there are persons in the Yes We Care programme who receive social security plus have lands and who receive a welfare check every month. So that programme can be looked at also. The PM’s views seems to make sense but its not. The state cannot take away ones property and give to another. It’s unconstitutional. The suggestion about the levy is laughable. You cannot pay people decent salary yet you want levy money in consolidated fund to play politics. Another attempt to fool the populace.
Mr. Prime Minister, I totally and completely agree with you. The state simply cannot afford to take care of everyone’s needs. Family members should be responsible for the care of their aging parents and that in no part should fall on the shoulders of the government.
You are 100% correct this time.
get them to pay for YES WE CARE program too. people have children in USA , EURope , all over and they parents on YES WE CARE program.
The PM is right. I believe the people who put their family in the Infirmary and have their family wealth should be ashamed of themselves. How can we expect the state to take care of their love ones and they are enjoying their love ones wealth. They should be ashamed of themselves. let the elderly who has no one or wealth to get the opportunity to stay at the Infirmary. In the USA you want to put your love ones in the nursing homes you have to hand over their wealth to the government. It takes money to run a facility, nothing don’t run on air. Would u like someone to drop a child on u and say take care of them and them? Would u, no. Once u know that person have money u would want to get pay. That is the same thing. The infirmary don’t run on air it takes money to run this facilities. I would like the PM to look into that very soon so it could generate some revenue for the state. I heard someone said years ago un sort ka payea pooye. In the USA U have to hand the state what u own so they can take care of u. People don’t want to take care of their own, they want everything their family have and don’t want to take care of them. When the state look into it if u are NOT satisfied get someone to take care of your love ones. Let the people who need the help from the state receive it. Some people should be ashamed of themselves if they want to be against the PM for coming up with this idea.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but the last time I checked the Infirmary was a private charity run by the Catholic Church, to which the government contributes. It is not state owned, controlled, or managed. It is not a statutory body, so exactly what is Skerritt suggesting?
Surely, if the reasoning put forward by Skerritt is to be taken seriously, let us for argument sake say that I am not a member of the catholic faith, does that mean I should not have access to the infirmary? Why should my property be left to the catholic church as opposed to any other religious organization of my choice> I believe it is entirely up to the catholic church leadership to have relevant arrangements with patients, that would involve contributing to their care consistent with their means and ability.
As a catholic Mr. Skerritt is entitled to make suggestions to his church on any matter relating to the work of the church, that is his right, but I believe he is out of line to even suggest that the government should in any way attempt to use the power of the state to achieve that purpose.
I do not think that we have reached the stage where Dominica now has a state religion, much like the circumstance under which the Church of England was born
It is my firm belief that Dominica should rather be like the USA, where the founding fathers who fled England under among other things religious persecution, vowed that there will never be a state sanctioned religion, and hence the separation of church and state, and that America would never be a monarchy, nor a dictatorship, but a constitutional republic, but since we are not a republic, we should protect and maintain our Westminster type of Democracy.
I can better understand now why i’m having all these administrative problems in DA although when my parent was
at the infirmary we always gave donations, our friends did the same for my parent, so why should i under go all this, we have the answer only now sometimes the good pays for the bad, so often. SO DA PEOPLE DO LIKE ME ALWAYS DONATE WHEN YOU CAN, PAY A VISIT ALSO. even if there will be hard times after you do all that. thanks SIR i understand today.
PM Skerrit is all sentimental about this matter. Skerrit is playing a dangerous political game with the poor and vulnerable people in need in Dominica and this is a dangerous game, a very dangerous game.
The welfare of these vulnerable are at risk. The quality of service, the deplorable environment the clients live in and the staff work within, the lack of effective management and leadership, the training and development of staff to ensure that they are qualified and supervised enough to offer and provide that quality care is questionable. The standards and service and care of these people seem not to be sufficiently monitored by the welfare services staff, so everything now has become a political gimmick. The Grotto Home environment is deplorable, disrespectful, ugly, and inhumane. They deserve better than that. The media must be called upon to visit and enlighten the Dominican people as to what the service environment is and the condition they live within.
The entire welfare system and its administration has been hijacked by Skerrit and NOT even the Minister, who is Gloria who is responsible for these services and their quality care is silent and has no say in Skerrit dangerous intervention and hijack of these services.
So when you see Skerrit huffing and puffing and blowing hot air it is a sign of a man in desperate to prove something to his people that “Nothing is happening” as he has no strategic plan for Dominicans development and involved in a FAST Food mentality of providing handouts all over Dominica. This is an insult and dangerous.
That’s not only a Dominica thing,it’s world over.That’s what the world has become.Those who are truly in need of it can’t get it,whilst those who can afford it or can do other wise,they are the ones who get it…That’s expected..man’s way..However GOD’s way is different..Only he can fix it and set it straight..
In the mean time thanks for trying Sir…
The PM is totally responsible for creating this level of dependency in Dominica. However i have no objections to the state taking care of the elderly who have made their contribution to the development of the country….My greatest concern is for the strong, greedy, hardback labourites who go to the RED CLINIC every Wednesday to beg of r money for all sorts of causes. For the past years this has added up to millions of dollars annually … ‘largent seche’ taken form the treasury and placed in the hands of labourites with no system of accountability in place…..THAT IS WHAT IS DRAINING OUR COUNTRY’S RESOURCES PM…NOT THEE LITTLE ASSISTANCE THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN GIVEN TO THE INFIRMARY…..THE COUNTRY IS SUFFERING DUE TO YOUR SOCIALIST POLICIES….
I endorse what the PM stated. It makes good sense. I do think it is high time that those who are beneficiaries of the aged who are in the infirmary, and who have property should sell some of it since their family members will not be in need of the land but they do need money to take care of them. Therefore, a sufficient portion of that money should be handed over to the government or the authorities of the infirmary to assist in taking care of them.
The government should have data of who are pensionable in addition to their addresses. PM, call a meeting among your members and other authorities concerned and without much ado set the ball rolling in this respect.
Those who can afford should not be dependent on the government. It is a strain on the government to support those who may be in a financial position to help towards their general care.
You can get some excellent advice from democratic governments of countries and/or their deputies who have instituted such a plan. It is very well workable. Canada is one of them.
When you have completed doing this, the social assistance structure should be revamped, in that, to ensure some people do not take advantage of the government.
Also keep a data on who is receiving social assistance. They should be employable. If you need expert advice on this matter, those governments could also assist you.
Dominica is progressing and so should its format, the manner of dispensing financial assistance for those who are in need of.
I agree with the PM this time.
If a family is able to care for their parents why not do so and live the infirmary for those who can’t afford to take care of themselves or has no family???
In some cases, if not all, they would need a professional to take care of them or at least receive professional advice.
Some family members are employed and may not be able to take care of their sick family on a full-time basis. They could financially assist the Infirmary to care of them.
my support on this matter mr pm but be very careful how this is handled. i also support the 0.005 percent levy on all salaries to maintain the infirmary.
Whereas I do not have any fundamental disagreement with what the PM has said but I never take him seriously because one can never believe him. For example do you know that there are people living at the Grotto and they are receiving paupers allowance from government Welfare program and some of them use that money to buy drugs instead of giving that money directly to the grotto to buy food? Infact I heard that some relatives collect that allowance from government and they do not even visit their relatives at the grotto home . Put your house in order first Mr. Skerrit. The PM also made what appears to be a grand announcement at that meeting to grant the Grotto home $30000 to fulfill a promise he made of $90000.00 towards the construction of the new home for the grotto. If the PM and his government had paid the grotto home the full market price of their old property on Valley road which was estimated at over $2million ,instead of the $500 000.00 which his government cheated the poor people they would be in a better position to buy the land and build their new home without begging and troubling Mr. Skerrit at his home. Can you take what MR. Skerrit says seriously? I don’t.
How much money do they get? Since they are the ward of the government and being fed and housed, they could be given some pocket change but not all the money. The rest should go to the Grotto.
This is another example of the way we Dominicans believe; this belief is that the development of our Nation solely relies on our Government –to do this, to do that, and to do the other thing–but how can that be; for our Government would have to pull out the financial resource that is needed for development from their own pocket–but God forbid this!
In Canada we have what is called “nursing homes” all over the place–people put their elderly there, where they will be well cared for while they themselves go on their daily routine; but this does not happen if they do not contribute to the cost of maintenance there–once they can afford to do so; the Government of Canada does not ignore people’s situations,.
Those who are poor and do not have families–they still have pension or social service income, part of that income is used to contribute to the cost. on behalf of their care
We cannot rely solely on the Government of the Nation to do everything; in Dominica it seem as if that attitude in us is inborn, and continues to grow, from bad to worse, from generation to generation –even a country like Canada would still be struggling for development today–without the contribution of its people..
So Dominicans let us not solely rely on our Government for the sake of development in our country–that is not possible–there will be no change for us; if we continue with that mentality. There is no human savior who can set us free from that cage, if not the renewal of our own minds–to flourish its grounds with a positive conditional stature and filled with the vision of fruitfulness
Let us stop dwelling in negativity, let us stop allowing negative people to contaminate and kill this mind of ours; let us search for the fruitfulness in our minds; let us speak them with our mouth; let us watch our vision bloom out and reproduce the fruits of Life–in all its glory. This Life could not be better lived in no place of the Earth–if not in our Land of Birth–our beautiful Dominica
Dominica I am on my way back to you, please wait for me!. I am you are saying to me: Why did you have to leave? My answer to you is “I don’t know” Good Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Liz Xavier….What you say in honourable, credible and decent. What is happening in Dominica under Skerrit, is devious, dishonest and filled with conning behaviour to buy we Dominicans that they vote.
Canada is a decent place where the practice of Democracy is seen to happen, it is open, transparent and the Prime Minister of Canada will not, cannot take state money and go where he wishes flashes a cheque and say I, give it to you.. In Canada it will be seen as fraud, deception and corruption and he will be fired under Canadian laws and good governance practice and sent to prison.
Dominica under Skerrit is different…the services here need upgrading, they are indecent and not of a high quality because like in Canada no one in Dominica visits to check that service is above par. Skerrit gate crashes these vulnerable institutions and puts on this devious smile that I come to take care of you, please vote for me etc etc….
I hope you understand that you cannot compare what the service is like in Canada and UK and to that of Dominica where it is corrupt and devious.
We are in serious trouble
Mr. Skeritt I do agree that people who can afford to pay for care should pay for it. I see it as an opportunity for medical professionals to open their own private business specializing in the care of the old, regulated and audited by the government.
However, any decision on that subject should be taken up in parliament, debated, and a policy developed and voted upon that is the best interest of our citizens. This cannot be a policy that skeritt is going to make in his office with a few people.
The PM has made a very important point on putting levys on privately owned land to pay for social services. Why can’t he use the same ideas to put levys on none productive estates like Hampstead which is doing more financial damage to the country than 70 k given to infirmery. After all you gave church 500k so 70 k should be nothing to cry about. Again your rants are not genuine. Because of your policy of begging and dependence I can see the infirery only growing in size in the years to come.
That policy you are now trying to implement is a sign of desperation for income. Mr. Pm let us see more bold steps to increase use of our farming resources ( Hampstead estate) our manufacturing and processing industry, art culture and music the latter which was introduced by the UWP in the creol music festival. Put policies in place that will allow people to honestly earn wealth not to take away the little their parents worked hard to earn.
I do not hear you addressing underpopulation, land fragmentation and the brain drain affecting us. If the policy you rant above is your signature topic I say you full of shhhhhhhhh and have absolutely no vision.
I stand corrected. He did not say levy on private land. Instead he said on all salary. My point is if you want to impose levy why on people who cannot get a raise in ten years. In the mean time we have large estates lying idle, which ipart of the problem with Dominica’s lack of production and growth. Levy’s should be imposed to encourage production taking people out of poverty and dependence by creating more private sector jobs. With your reckless disbursement of the country’s finances in your vote buying scheme clothed in the outfit of the nations walfare program you mister PM have already failed our future. You need to be removed. Clear the way for people with honest intension s and vision.
Seriously? Is someone supposed to sit and read all of this intellectual debate on an issue that concerns ‘caring for OUR elderly’? If everything has to be dealt with in consideration of everything else then nothing will be resolved. The issue is about the infirmary, Dominicans who worked hard for this country. So what does Hampstead Estate have to do with that?
This is the first time that I have read comments on DNO which, with one exception, have focussed on the message and given fair and reasonable comments whether or not they like and support the messenger, the P.M. in this case.
Gosh! My faith in fairness and balance has almost been restored.
Barbs….his rude “messages” (none of your damm business) (go to hell) etc., outweigh the sensible ones, so that’s why he often gets blasted (DA style)..
Galbanzo,
I guess the restoration of my faith in fairness and balance was a bit premature. Perhaps the usual comments were in moderation at the time I wrote.
Problem is my both ears are open so I hear rude and dangerous comments whichever side they are coming from, so I heard his own and many others since! Sorry!
It would make more sense to put things in place so that these people could enjoy the true value of their property in their old age.
some of them have property passed on to them by previous generations and they can never enjoy it because they cant afford to get a title.. that goes on for generations …
Same way we treat the Kalinago too . give them people true property rights …
““But you have people who have family members and these family members have lots of land, they have money in the bank, they receive a pension, they receive social security benefits and these families are not giving the infirmary not one dollar of the pensions or the monies that they receive from social security,”” Skerrit said.
MR. SKERRIT, I SAY, THE MANAGEMENT AT THE INFIRMARY SHOULD RE-EVALUATE THEIR OPTIONS. Proper arrangements should be in place by the management at that facility concerning payment.
“He is of the view that if any one is to be a resident of the Infirmary and is a recipient of pension, “you must sign a legal document assigning that money to the Infirmary to take care of your father, your grandfather, your mother, your aunty or yourself.”
I AGREE, but was the infirmary not aware of that, or they ASSUMED the Government would pay up?
““And if you have land, you should sell the land or bequeath the land to the infirmary so that they can liquidate it so that they can help pay for your maintenance,”” he said.
I AGREE TOO, but was the infirmary not receiving the pension for the care of a patient and when the patient died they had the GARBAGE TRUCK pick up his remains for burial?
There is NO ARGUMENT that the PATIENT’S FAMILIES should be RESPONSIBLE for their CARE, especially if they are FINANCIALLY STABLE.
Do what you must to RELIEVE the TAX PAYERS of that responsibility.
You are so right with your responses.
Where is the infirmary a catholic charity’s responsibilities in all this.? It is not the govt to provide for them to operate. They must start doing things more systematic like the collection of payment for services? Then the in-firmed or their family member would have to find the money whether it be a direct payment from DSS or the Paupers Funds or a private bank account.
If the Infirmary does not want to do that then they can expect the state of affairs as is to be perpetual until the facility is forced to close its doors. But the Catholic church nor Skerritt should not think it normal expectation to enforce those recommendations that he proffered. He must have just been speaking off the cuff and emotionally because I cant believe that any sort of thought went into those statements.
This Country appears to be a mad house with the blind and insane leading. We need the miracle of a revolution, radical change in this p lace in order to progress. SMFH.
all the government does is look for ways to tax the hard working people of this country, lazy people leading this country.
You’ll not be a youth all your life, you celebrate your birthday everyday, don’t you?
every year
wait a minute well I guess next thing the PM will say that my salary belongs to the government why should I pay for that, my salary can’t afford that. am paying enough taxes already who have family there will have to pay. that’s nonsense in that country….labour must go it’s about time.
He is questioning whether Dominica should begin having discussions on instituting a levy on everyone’s salaries of “half a percent or one percent that would go into a special fund to help provide for these people who needs help.” Really Mr PM well for your information none of my family not in the infirmry. And instead of wasting money on saverin, on travels back and forth to miami etc to pay for votes and buy all those properties all the gov ministers have etc put it in the fund.
You never know where you or your family might end up so stop your arrogance!
Dominica isn’t a rich nation. Folks should not free load on tax payers. Some type of compensation system is absolutely necessary to keep the institution viable. Come on people!
High Taxes on Dominicans forcing them to take there grandparents pension, shame on u skerro for making life so hard for poor people.
Let us move with the times. This should have been done this way from the beginning. If the resident of the home has any cash or property they should pay to live there, even if that means selling the land or taking the money from their social security or retirement.
I don’t disagree this behavior should be looked into……
But Mr. PM how different is that from you taking the state money $500K and give it to the church when the church is capable of helping itself…….
And in the meantime you leave the Public Service worker unpaid.
If you want to be credible you should start by retracting the taxpayers monies of $500K that was given to the church.
@Needy, as much as I agree with you on that $500K given to the Church, this issue at the Grotto Home is much different. Most, if not all of these people are getting a pension, and/or have property, which should be utilized in the care and upkeep of them; why would their families be holding onto that money, or land for that matter, and leave them at the MERCY of others, including the Government. Although it is true that the Government should play an active role, it is really NOT the Government’s RESPONSIBILITY to take care of those individuals who ARE CAPABLE of paying for their care.
I agree that the Church could take care of itself. I agree that the PM HAS ULTERIOR MOTIVES, one would have to be blind to not notice that EXPENSIVE GESTURE toward the Church, BUT, that should NOT DETER people with families at the Grotto Home to pocket THEIR BENEFITS and TURN their backs on them. Come on, some of these people are unable to physically care for themselves, but I am certain they are FINANCIALLY ABLE in paying for their OWN CARE. Do you not agree?
@ citizen I said ” I don’t disagree this behavior should be looked into….” So for clarification, the behavior I speak of is folks at the Ghotto living there who have money or property while getting a free ride as stated by the PM.
What wrong with you people. You are one of those who just dump your family in the infirmary and there enjoying their benefits Social Security and Pension and land and property.
Get you act together and stop making such statements at least Government helping but you there enjoying what is not your. God will deal with you all
Geez man, your leader Norris had say in the House to give the church 3 million wee!
Lots of support for the PM of this matter. That’s the way to go! We should not allow ourselves to be blinded by political affiliations. Give Jack his jacket if it belongs to him.
@Mahaut Politics is in everything, no matter what people say. However, now that you have infected the comments with politics, remember that CHANGE IS A MIUST. Most Dominicans cannot continue with this type of leadership from those who claim to be leading this country. They are not examples, and they are square pegs in round holes. They are simply incapaable of delivering good leadership.
Let the people who have family in there help their own family. DO NOT impose any further taxes/levy on us to pay for people we do not know
@Blackinese, you do not have to know someone to help them; however, I agree that those with families financially capable to care for them should do so. I do disagree for their pension or property to be of profit to others and not themselves. You all must request the Government and Social Services look into this matter carefully.
Truth be told.
I have family in there, but i just cannot help.
I totally agree
I so agree with you pm.Dominican to wicked.
Not a fan of the PM but totally agree with him on this…I worked with the elderly in the US and anyone with Social Security in the USA who is placed in nursing home..after 6 months the nursing home collects it..also there assets have to be liquidated if there payments are not enough to cover cost……totally agree with you Mr PM
Yup, there is not question, if you receive SSA/SSI and your family puts you in an assisted living facility, or nursing home, that money goes directly to that facility/home and the difference comes from YOUR FAMILY, NOT THE GOVERNMENT.
Correction – there is no question.
Can someone give me Skerrit’s number so I can tell him that this is not rocket science. There is nothing to ponder about. Just sell the properties / cease their monetary assets and use that to give these HUMANS quality care for the remainder of their days on earth. They have a right to enjoy the fruits of their labor and now is the time. These GREEDY relatives should not be entitle to anything.
Let them work for their own “fruits” while they wait to grow old and miserable. This thing really pisses me off. People make it a habit of packing away their elderly relatives as used objects on a shelf waiting to be dumped. Why not allow these HUMANS to age gracefully and graduate peacefully into eternity?
Yah, that’s what you are stating now, but lets say for argument purposes the PM took your advice and “just do it”, I believe you along with many others would be saying something completely different. ….Oh the PM wicked, etc. etc.
Anonymous, your statement re my POTENTIAL “oh the PM wicked” holds no water. You are making an argument based on a what might be? It would have been better to not respond to my post.
@Tashi Bat YHWH, hopefully I am right; the Grotto Home is NOT a Government run entity. It is NOT the Government’s position to sell nor cease property, monetary or otherwise.
The MANAGEMENT at the Grotto Home SHOULD KNOW, BEFOREHAND, how these people will be paying for the CARE of THEIR families. The Grotto Home SHOULD NOT, at any time, ACCEPT people to care for UNLESS/UNTIL they know how they will be paid. Proper documents should be signed PRIOR to patients entering their facility, otherwise these patients should NOT be accepted. I know SOME may not be financially able, and there the Government SHOULD ASSIST, but MANY ARE FINANCIALLY CAPABLE.
This ISSUE is that of those RECEIVING the RESIDENTS BENEFITS, MONETARY and NON-MONETARY.
Furthermore,
Correction – Tasie
Citizen, isn’t the grotto home a separate entity? I am not sure, just asking.
Mr. Can you take back the 500,000.00 and give it to the infirmary??
Uh, he can not take it back. The Church, however, CAN DONATE the FULL AMOUNT or a PORTION thereof. I do not think all these patients need from the Church is a VISIT and/or the Our Father Who Art In Heaven. They can not survive on that alone. The Church really need to step up.
Why isn’t Grotto using the Maintainance Act? That Act provides for older and infirmed persons to be maintained by their children through the courts.
Or the Grotto Home can release them back to their families.
Amazing how no matter what the issue/topic at hand there is always one very educated” fool” who will find a way to bash Skerrit…..O you need to get off Skerrit and help your brother!
I am 100% agree with p.m Skerrit. .People need to do better than that stuuuuuupes
I hope you mean THEIR FAMILIES.
I support the PM’s point of view although the details of his proposition will need re-working. We certainly have to try to gently push some people into taking more responsibility for themselves and their loved ones especially during illness and in the later years. I feel the government should gradually try to get out of the business of actually running this facilities and create an environment for private ownership and management of long term care facilities. I certainly think that either social security benefits or a special facility (like Medicare in the US) can be set up to help those unable to pay privately.
@DAinUSA, is the Grotto Home a Government run facility? If yes, no wonder the families depend on the Government. I am asking because I do not know. I am also a DAinUSA, Medicare, and Medicaid if covered, covers a percentage of the cost of Doctor’s visits and medication; the BULK of the patients care is paid by SSA/SSI and the FAMILIES POCKETS. Medicaid, as we know, is a Government run program, which in some cases, pay for EVERYTHING.
Some families just believe is air the infirmary feeding the people. Some of the people at the infirmary has 9, 8 or 10 children and not one passing even is on a sunday afternoon to say hello.
I do not see the reason for “thumbs down” on the TRUTH. Give me some “thumbs down” for exercising my opinion, which is true.
VISIT YOUR FAMILY, TAKE CARE OF THEM AS THEY DID YOU. It is okay to ask, mine are gone. I could NEVER turn my back on my family.
That is standard procedure in most developed countries. If you have assets, those assets should be used for your care. When that runs out, then the state steps in.
Under no circumstances should a person’s pension go to someone else. There should be automatic deductions from their bank accounts to provide for their care.
I agree. I do not think there should be a need for automatic deductions. That pension should go DIRECTLY to the facility caring for these people, and the difference should be paid by their families. Understood that some are unable, but MOST are.
Where in the world can you dump your parents on the gov only in DA
THAT IS NOT TRUE. This is done worldwide; however, we did not expect that from our people.
It is not done worldwide. Only if they are poor and too sick to take care of themselves and have no assets.
Consider that some of them receive a pension. If they also have property and family members are their beneficiaries, those family members are obligated to financially take care of them.
In Canada hospital/medical care is free. Some of those people who are cared for and who receive a monthly pension are expected to pay towards their stay in nursing homes and other homes for the sick and aged.
Some of the sick who may have no family (this happens) will be wards of the government. The government appoints a power of attorney who will be responsible for them, to see about their well-being until they die and are buried.
Mr PM am no fan of yours, but am a realist and i agree with you 1000%, anyone who is in the home and is getting some sort of income, that income should go straight to the home, by doing so the home could be self sustained, too much greedy family members out there just waiting for those pension monies to come down on the bank and they run and collect the monies and most of them don’t even go to the institution to look for their family members. good move PM scare-wreath.
A sad case, a shameful one when people leave their own behind. No, we should not leave it all to government to take care of the elderly. Those that have contributed to society, and to our very existence need our gratitude. How sad when the PM has to remind his people about their responsibilities, and what a shameful act when we leave our family members behind. Perhaps, we are ignoring the solid fact that time comes and goes as fast as we wink. We are all aging, and dependency from our own, our young will come into play. Remember, what we reap, we will have to sow as the saying goes. We must all stand with the PM on this because in the end, we will all have to pay for this in some way or the other. This is not just politics, but human decency. Our seniors deserve better.
i agree 100%,what is it,everything is goverment then.
Good idea. If u needy fine. If you have the means pay up.
that truth u can have ur parents or relative an helping that is wrong come on
I think most people would help, but they do not have the means to help. Most of the family members themselves are living in abject poverty in this poor country crippled by Skerrit and his lazy and corrupt Labour Party.
I have a brother who is presently employed and he squanders his money in rum, women , cigarettes, etc. He is so stupid,HE EVEN TALKS ABOUT VOTING FOR LABOUR,. Luckily i was able to convince him NOT TO ! I have told him time and time again is there he will end up. I am struggling like a donkey to make ends meet IN THIS BACKWARD AND IMPOVERISHED country, and not for any reason he will fall sick before me that i will take up the respoonsibility to take care of him. The most i will do is to give him a plate of food WHEN I HAVE, and have a person to bathe him. I just do not have the means. I guess several other Dominicans are in a similar state.
In the meantime Skerrit is squandering the country’s resources in all kinds on MAJEE/NONSENSE/POLITICAL GAMES.
I CAN NEVER VOTE LABOUR!
I WILL NEVER VOTE LABOUR
I SHALL NEVER VOTE LABOUR!!!!!
@ () now you just see you just tied your self the country is impoverished like you all like to say but here it is you working your brother working till he can run woman but nothing going on another thing is your brother not old enough to make his own decision? as to who he voting for that’s you all problem always want to tell people what to do, but the funny thing is when he goes into the voting booth you wont be there remember the old saying yes is peace LOL.
@real possie We are both farmers, and things are tight,real idiot. It’s because the country is so dam poor and imnpoverished that i can hardly survive. WHY DON’T YOU GO TO SCHOOL!
@(), most people are able but many are unable; however, if your brother uses his earnings towards rum, cigarettes, women, etcetera, and he decides to vote Labour, you are in no way responsible for his demise when it get to that point. I hope he do not have anything for you to fight over because you publicly stated that you will NOT take the RESPONSIBILITY to care for him other than give him a plate of food “when you have” and have someone give him a bath. The way I see it, that is plenty, which is all he might need. Shame on you though.
Typical UWP supporters. You can’t do anything but to feel sorry for them.
PM I support you on that 100 %
I agree 100% them people to wicked, in the U S your pension and social security has to pay for your nursing home.so the PM is right it is time that Dominicans do the right thing.if someone is unable one can understand.but if they can then their families should pay cause how is the staff going to be paid.come on this needs to be change.
A lot of the usual suspects will cry you down for stating this but I read this twice just to really get where you coming from and I thought back about some families that don’t take care of their own parents but as soon as they die they fighting for what the parents left behind and is other people and the state that took care of them in their time of needs. At least that will force them to take care of their own cause is either you lose all later on or spend some of it now to take care of your own, thank God my mom wont have to go through that cause we take care of her and we will till the day she leaves this earth as long as we are still here.
I agree 100%. However, if there are family members who at least show some compassion by passing to see their family member in the care of the infirmary and contribute what they can, pampers, and other necessities, they should inherit the possessions.
I do not think the question is inheritance. The question is, why keep the pension and property and depending on others to care for your family? These families should be compassionate regardless.
Imagine that!