Parliamentarians Spar In “Dentalgate” Debate
Politicians sparred in the House of Assembly late Friday night [July 13] continuing the ongoing row over dental insurance coverage for Government employees, a scenario one Minister said has been termed “Dentalgate”.
The dispute started last week when Shadow Minister of Health Senator Michael Dunkley said that dental insurance coverage for Government employees was “suspended because the Government has failed to pay the premium for their coverage.”
Both the Government and the insurance provider BF&M said the coverage was not suspended, while the OBA provided documents that appeared to indicate the insurance coverage was listed as “inactive”.
The PLP called for an apology from the OBA, while the OBA said there was no need to apologise as ‘within 24 hours of them bringing it up the situation was cleared up.’
Minister Marc Bean said the whole scenario has now been termed “Dentalgate,” and after he started speaking he was quickly interrupted by Speaker of the House Stanley Lowe who said, “Don’t get excited now, tone it down. I detect you are getting excited, tone it down.”
Minister Bean continued: ”Across the floor you have this deep sense of denial, of arrogance and ignorance. Cause they still don’t know what they are talking about, yet they are still talking about it.”
“Even when they have proved to be in the wrong, they still don’t have the humility to apologise.” The Minister also questioned the leadership of the One Bermuda Alliance, saying a “certain member of the Opposition seems to have free role.”
OBA MP Dr Grant Gibbons interrupted Minister Bean a few minutes later with a Point of Order, and Minister Zane DeSilva attempted to respond with another Point of Order, however the Speaker did not allow it.
Minister Bean continued: “In an attempt to score political points, in an attempt to descend to the bottomless pit of politricks, they have crossed the boundary of privacy in regards to the civil service of this country.”
OBA MP Louise Jackson interrupted with a Point of Order: “He is misleading the House, there was never any, he knows this, there was never any privacy disclosure at any point. The list was redacted totally and he knows this.”
Minister Bean said: “My job is to bring exposure to their inability to actually function as a viable and credible Opposition,” with an unidentified MP heard calling out in the background: “Focus on being the Government…you aren’t doing too good job at that.”
“You better concentrate on trying to become a real Opposition because you will never govern the way you act. Believe that. It was reprehensible behaviour,” Minister Bean continued.
OBA MP Trevor Moniz interrupted with a Point of Order: “That young member seems to continue to impugn an evil motive on this side. The Opposition’s job is to reveal these things, which is what we did. This idea of people accusing people of politricks is nonsense. You are doing your job.”
Minister Bean continued: ”Yes, we know we are entering into election season, but do you have to descend into the gutter of politics?”
The Speaker of the House interrupted a few minutes later saying: “Either we are going to be courteous or I will adjourn this right now.”
The next to speak was Minister Walter Roban who said it was a “low blow for Bermuda politics” and “gutter politics,” and called for an investigation into the incident by the relevant bodies.
Minister Roban said: “I think there needs to be an investigation. I think that the Health Council needs to be involved, I think that the Dental Board needs to be involved, because they are the bodies that can actually deal with this in a non-political manner.
“Taking it out of the murkiness that has been created by those that started this thing and investigate to find out the truth. Who revealed what, where it came from, and the value and the accuracy of what was produced.
“And if anybody violated their professional conduct, rules of confidentiality and other very important issues that pertain to the very protection of information and how its handled in this country.”
No other MPs were permitted to speak on the matter, as at approximately 1am Speaker of House Stanley Lowe shut down the debate, saying “you can have a go at it next week.”
Surely there are more pressing matters at hand to discuss until 1am!!!! Next.
It is consistently baffling as to how much the Government protests about topics which it seems to feel do not come under the political realm. It appears that this topic was raised by the Opposition and addressed by the Government. Questions were asked, and answers were provided…..that’s what is supposed to happen…..move on.
Accusing the Opposition of “denial, arrogance and ignorance” …… brings to mind “pot….kettle…..”!
I suspect this essentially “non issue” is now being worked up into a frenzy to distract from those issues the Govt is less comfortable discussing.
Pelican,
That’s the problem, there was no issue that the opposition raised. It’s akin to shouting fire in a crownded theatre because someone lit a match.
People keep missing the facts. Coverage was never suspended and the premiums were not late. Both things the opposition said and both not true.
OBA keep saying we “did our job” but their job can’t be to make things up!
Actually – none of us really know the truth. i think that Roban is right. Lets ask the Dentists. That is all that has to happen. Ask them.
If Dental coverage was in fact recinded then this was a valid point that the opposition brought up. If it was incorrect then we should know the truth.
It is a shame that something like this had to come public when it should being between B.F.&F
“Even when they have proved to be in the wrong, they still don’t have the humility to apologise.”
When were they PROVED wrong? Because the head of BF&M said so? Does anyone trust the word of a man that will benefit from financial gain? Wheres the reciept for the payment? Thats all the proof you need, until then its just another one of the stories we will never get the answer to.
I guess you would like to see a cancelled cheque. Would that be proof enough for you?
If it was paid by cheque, maybe it bounced first time it was presented. Surely payments this size are made by wire transfer?
I swear I typed receipt…yea, yea I did.
Quick unrelated question laverne, would you happen to know where I could find the number of inmates incarcerated at the end of each year in Bermuda?
More like a bounced cheque…
Exactly, CC.
And……why don’t we get answers?
Because they are operating in the sunshine of transparency!!
Bean is merely the mouthpiece of the great deception machine.
Funny thing is, if the situation were the reverse, you would not question the CEO now would you.
Cover was listed as inactive.
That means that either the BF&M web portal is broken or Gov’t was behind by 3+ months in paying their premium.
You are correct. It amazes me to see how many people never considered that this website belongs to BF&M and is therefore their responsibility to keep it current. The CEO has said there never was a problem but some have decided to believe a person with no connection to the issue over both of the involved parties. This makes no sense to me from a common sense perspective.
I’m sorry is that a question or a statement about my mentality based on nothing? The funny thing is, I’m guessing you just took me for one of the oba brigade, when in actual fact, if you have seen any of my other posts on governments you would see I don’t. support any. Not the plp, not the oba, republicans, democrats, not even the soviet union. Their system is a fraud. So you think if the oba get in power (you stand a better chance of running a successful snowball business in hell) that I’m just going to take my eye off the ball? That Come Correct will just shut up sit back and brown nose (no pun intended) like the rest of the plp die hards? I think not. Receipt plz!
http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m5ofpy7zO81qcwic6.gif
Their insurance cover was listed inactive and The CEO DID NOT EXPLAIN WHY!
Yes I would question him regardless.He never provided an answer.
Guess what, I called a dentist’s office and asked for the coverage information of everyone on their list who works for Dunkley’s Dairy. Guess what they told me??? NO, that information is confidential. So, explain to me how Mr. Dunkley gets it from a dentist’s office and everyone thinks he’s the Knight in shining armour? This place is just sick.
Because people told him, you need better sources and you too will get the answers to your questions.
Or you could try adding shadow minister at the end of your name when you introduce yourself. Not many people want to say no to someone who’s well connected, right Mrs. Cox?
You don’t get the info because you are not
Shadow Health Minister. Besides, the info came from BF&M, not the dentists. The Gov’t keeps yelling “Liar” at Dunkley, but the OBA and Dunkley have both stated that evidence of non-payment came from a source at BF&M. If anybody lied, it most likely was the source at BF&M.
ask the denists and the truth shall set you free. they all will tell you that the oba was correct. ask civil servants as well they know!! HEY BERNEWS – ASK SOME AROUND!!
If that is case, it’s funny that we’ve only heard from one patient (a friend of Michael Dunkley) and one dentist. So you’re saying the dentists that I talked to were lying to me? Or do you believe that I was lying?
I’m going to take that as a no to my above question. Assuming that you have an answer for everything except when it doesn’t score “cheap political points”.
You expected anything else? She makes me laugh! I laugh more that people take her seriously though.
Nobody cares LaVerne. Your credibility is non-existent at this point.
Was the premium paid ontime or was it not? The OBA provided documents saying no. The PLP needs to provide documentation proving payment was made ONTIME. This is about public money.
What do you mean the PLP needs to provide documentation? Is not the word of the CEO of BF&M good enough. Or do you consider him to be a participant in the PLP’s friends and family plan?
The BF&M CEO did not answer to whether payment was made on time. On the date he was questioned all was in order.
The Government account is a big one. The CEO is going to be very careful with his choice of words.
No. It’s not good enough and to insinuate otherwise is delirious.
What happened to transparency?
SHOW US THE TRANSACTION WITH DATES!
I think the OBA did their job in bringing up something of concern.
It sounds as if someone in Government checked it out and the issue was corrected… regardless of the what caused the issue. Which is what the appropriate response should be.
They needed to do was say it was an oversight by either the Government, or BF&M, that has now been corrected and the both sides should behave like adults and stop sniping over a finished issue and get on to something else.
Mr Dunkley was wrong is his approach to this matter. He broke the confidently of people’s personal information. If the information he collected was done in the correct way, why did he had to go the roundabout way to deal with the issue? Something is wrong here, and OBA? UBP know this, but just do not want to admit to wrong doings. Mark Bean hit back hard on the OBA?UBP, and they were not able to react effectively.
I’ve missed you…I guess since those bonds were sold they can afford for you to blog again? Anyway with that aside, allow me to tear you apart starting with the rectal portion of you body from which all this rhetoric spews. The milk man received information from an unknown (to the public) source, possibly unlawfully. Where I have a problem is where the law over rides morals. Hypathetically speaking lets say he is right (I know this is a difficult concept for you to follow but bear with me), do you truly believe it should have remained in the dark for confidentiality sake? Well the CEO of BF&M came out and cleared it up…did he? Did he really? Or is he human and potentially could have misled the public, to protect a major client for the company that provides his livelihood? Well as I’ve said before there’s an easy way to clear all of this up…where’s the reciept? And no, one that was “mocked up like yesterday” doesn’t count. So what exacly is it they should be apologising for? They brought evidence to the table, the plp brought words, words that ring hollow, as usual. Also you say mark brown hit back hard on the oba?ubp (is this a new party I missed), well if you ask me from what I read he was polightly told to STFU! So anyway, point being, until the receipt surfaces to the public eye, the plp is wrong,they have no evidence, just a mans word, and that sells for so little these days its sad.
The fact is, it is the taxpayer’s money paying, or in this case, not paying premiums.
It seems the taxpayers are not allowed to ever question how the PLP government
spends that tax money.
The purpose of an effective opposition is to safeguard the taxpayer’s money in addition to its other functions. The PLP did exactly this for over 30 years while in opposition!
Mr Dunkley did not mention anyone’s name, he pointed out that Civil Servants were the victims of the non payment. How is that infringing on their privacy? Privacy requires an
element of individual identification.
The so called TEST system that apparently comes into effect in 12 days is presumably put together and working in anticipation of its launch? Just because it is called TEST at this stage does not detract from its authenticity.
What you undoubtedly saw was a mad scramble to “FIX” the embarrassing situation with a pledge that the insurance could be moved elsewhere just like the E Brown regime threatened The Royal Gazette with pulling all its Government notices etc.