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PLP doubts OBA’s FutureCare pledge

Photo by Akil SimmonsMixed message: Health Minister Zane DeSilva speaks at the Sylvia Richardson Care Facility yesterday afternoon.

Health Minister Zane DeSilva yesterday repeated accusations that the One Bermuda Alliance was sending out mixed messages on Future Care.But the OBA, which pledged last week that seniors’ benefits would remain unchanged if it won power, accused the Progressive Labour Party of “playing on seniors fears”.Mr DeSilva, at a press conference yesterday at the Sylvia Richardson Care Facility, repeated a statement made on Facebook in March by OBA candidate Anthony Francis that FutureCare would be scrapped.Mr Desilva, who noted that the facility located in St George’s is Bermuda’s flagship for senior care, was adamant that the current Government have the seniors at heart.“We have always kept the seniors of Bermuda in our thoughts, this is who we are fighting for as they are the ones who will lose the most. FutureCare is vital to helping them out and those Islandwide who are in need of help.“These are the people who are trying to help seniors have a better, less stressful life. Our record for them speaks for itself.”In response to the Mr Desilva’s claims, an OBA spokesperson accused the PLP of “playing on the fears of seniors”.“It's unfortunate this Government continues to run from its five-year record of soaring unemployment, rising violent crime and reckless borrowing by playing on the fears of seniors about the security of their FutureCare health benefits,” the spokesman said.“Every day voters are becoming more aware that it offers them nothing but a continuing pattern of distortion and fear-mongering.“But here are the facts, as our spokesman for the Shadow Health Board Andrew Simons recently reiterated: ‘Once more for the record, the OBA supports FutureCare. We will not abolish FutureCare. We will not cut FutureCare. In fact, under an OBA Government seniors currently enrolled in FutureCare will see no change in their benefits.’"“The challenge for Future Care is ensuring that the system is financially secure, not just for this generation but also for those that follow.“Instead of four out of ten younger people unemployed, the OBA will get those young Bermudians back to work so they can help support a healthcare system for our seniors today and ensure it is there for their generation tomorrow.“Instead of paying millions of dollars a week in national debt interest, the OBA will reduce the debt and ensure that more of your tax dollars go to providing the essential healthcare services our seniors need and less of your tax dollars wind up in the pockets of foreign creditors.“Through the sound fiscal policies in the OBA's economic recovery plan, we are meeting that challenge.“And Bermuda's seniors can be assured that there will continue to be a future for FutureCare under an OBA government.”