Cayman Islands Health Minister, Dwayne Seymour claimed his ministry was looking at the proposal to provide free healthcare to all our children.

This was after a private member’s motion brought by Bodden Town minister, Chris Saunders , for Government to look at the possibility to provide same.

However, premier Alden McLaughlin poured cold water immediately on the proposal.

He said, “It is the easiest thing to say that government should do more, but government has to have the means to do it. This country needs new investment and new industries and therefore should not do rash things that discourage investment.”

Apparently, continuing providing the social support the community has come to expect would discourage that.

That is not going to win the premier many votes.

The premier, however, is happy to consider the proposal.

It is quite clear where his happiness is going to stop.

We know that healthcare costs a lot of money and the insurance companies have been allowed to only insure the people most likely not to want healthcare.

It’s not only children who need free healthcare, it is also the aged.

No one has taken the initiative in making any provisions at all for these two vulnerable groups and there has been nothing “rash” in even discussing it.

Saunders said he brought the motion “because it was the right thing to do”. He knew the Cayman’s economy is fragile but at least we should make a start in trying to do something. He wanted everyone to work together and not let politics get in the way.

Seymour said government already spends significant amounts of money on healthcare for uninsured and under-insured Caymanians and providing free healthcare for all children was “ambitious”. Never-the-less if an appropriate funding mechanism was in place it could be done.

No one has yet been able to come up with “an appropriate funding mechanism”.

If such a funding mechanism is found how much of it would actually go on healthcare for the children?

Or the elderly?

Or the under insured?

Or the uninsured?

Sorry. Free healthcare for children is unlikely.