Garcia spoke to us today on the occasion of the International Social Security Association the ISSA's Regional Conference of the Americas. Here delegates from South, Central, North America and the Caribbean are participating. On the agenda includes discussions in areas of health protection, meeting the needs of vulnerable family structures, Social Security coverage for migrant workers among others. Prime Minister Said Musa declared the conference open.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"The presence here in Belize of another international regional forum, of such a broad representation of institutions, working for the attainment of wide ranging coverage and improvement of Social Security needs is the embodiment of this societal concern. The ISSA as we have heard was started in 1927 with a purpose of protecting and developing the concept of social security and its practical application following recognition of the need for public social protection, based on the solidarity of all citizens and of the importance of extensive international cooperating. Our Belizean participants and observers are fortunate to have this opportunity to be present at this high level conference."
Narda Garcia,
"We are discussing health and the involvement of Social Security institutions in health and that is very close to our heart because we are about to start the rollout of the National Health Insurance. As a matter of fact a lot of Caribbean countries have come to Belize to see and to learn from what we are doing on the southside of Belize City, the pilot project, and most of them are studying it and are looking at it and there's a great possibility that they will follow what we are doing with the NHI as a part of social security."
Accompanying the conference is an exhibit of the Social Security as it celebrates 25 years in existence. And while the SSB has managed to reach its 25 years of service to the Belizean public, Musa noted that it has also been subject to abuses.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"There's no doubt, a tremendous amount of good has been done by Social Security as a principle instrument of this nation's development for benefit of all working families. It would however be remiss of me not to point out as well that there have been instances of bad investment decisions which must continue to be dealt with in an open, transparent, and an accountable manner."
The conference concludes on Wednesday.
