MEMBER of Parliament for St. Philip North, Dr. Sonia Browne, is urging
government to reassess how self-employed persons are treated under the
National Insurance Scheme.
During her contribution to the Catastrophe Fund Bill debate yesterday,
she said: “I think a lot of private workers, self-employed workers
have been hearing the regular ads on television or wherever... saying
pay your NIS contributions, fantastic. But I don’t think many of them
realise it is limited in terms of what they get at the end of it. I
think the benefits need to be extended to sick leave. Self-employed
people do get sick. I don’t know if that was a glitch at NIS. Self-
employed people do get ill and we need some
support.
“There are many people – fishermen, maids – that are self-employed and
they get sick and nothing is coming in to support them.”
Additionally, Dr. Browne told the Lower Chamber that as Barbados steps
into the hurricane season, additional funds may be needed to increase
the number of shelters available to reach a larger number of people,
noting that the existing Category 1 shelters may not be accessible by
all of the communities because of their location.
“St. Philip North now has four Category 1 hurricane shelters, one
being public, Hilda Skeene Primary. I had a look at it and I am noting
that they are more or less in a
cluster. In other words, members of almost three-quarters of St.
Philip will find it difficult to get to these areas.”
She pointed out that areas such as Blades Hill, Bayfield and other
communities would find it difficult to get to these shelters.
“It might be worthwhile putting some funding into fixing some of the
schools or churches to get them up to scratch.”
Addressing challenges in her constituency, Dr. Browne said a bit more
has to be done to fix “private roads.”
“There are a number of so-called private roads in St. Philip North
that are currently used by many public people. It is on the books that
we are not allowed, correct me if I’m wrong, to repair these roads. I
think it is grossly unfair – I have houses, 10, 20 people living in a
street... that they have been fighting with successive governments to
give a little help with the roads, Rudy, Long Bay... there is also an
area in Fortescue. I have been hearing calls, Fortescue is an area
where there is one entrance to a community that houses several
thousand people. I need that looked at as well,” she said.
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