Dear Sir,

In November 2000, I was privileged to address the national convention of the FNM. It was a tumultuous pcriod in that wc were "Black Listed" by the OECD and as a country we sought to find our way. Of course, the whole matter is history now and those of us that disagreed with the approach taken by the former Prime Minister simply had no real say in the matter. There are those however, who agreed with his approach and say that as a country we had no choice. Why talk about this now?

Well, as a practitioner in the financial industry, even though I touched on it, my address that night was not focused on the Black List, much to the chagrin of some of my colleagues in the industry. Instead, I focused on the need for a National Hcalth Insurance scheme to help those in our country who were losing life, limb and a better quality of life because of under insurance or no insurance at all. During that address I beseeched the former Prime Minister to make National Health insurance his legacy. This did not happen and one may now surmise that the referendum of 2002 is indeed his legacy.

Prime Minister Christie deserves credit for this bold initiative. You see, it is simply inhumane, iniquitous and non-caring for us to sit and allow Bahamians to die because of a lack of money. We have all seen too often the numerous cookouts that seek a daunting task to raise tens of thousands of dollars and perhaps the majority never even comes close to the mark. We can be more caring than that, after all, the most precious 'commodity' in any country is its people. We must save life if we are to be a truly successful country.

Many have said that it will cost too much and that whilst it is a good thing, more time is needed to get it right. My response to the former is so what! Welcome to nationhood. Many people are of the view that the country must be ran like a business. I do not share that view. The country should be run for the bettennent of its citizenry and to do otherwise is failure.

What kind of father says to his child that because his sickness is going to cost so much in medical expenses or because it was not budgeted for, the child must die? Very few if any. The way to pay for it is through being taxed and many in this country need to understand that it is through taxes that we enjoy services. Each citizen has a responsibility to pull his own weight in this regard.

History is replete with persons that say that more time is needed to get it right. This is often said whenever a monumental social/economic change is proposed. In 1807, when the slave trade was abolished there was the same rhetoric that it will cost too much, it will damage the economy and they needed more time to get it right. The same is true of the abolition of slavery. Even in more recent history there were those that said the same about the Independence of this country and get this; National Insurance! I point this out to say that 'the more time needed' people will forever be with us since they perceive that the change will hit them in their pocket book or change the social class structure.

So I say thanks to Prime Minster Christie and I am sure that I speak for tens of thousands of Bahamians that have lost loved ones due to the inability to pay for medical care and those that can now see light at the cnd of the tunnel. You have embarked on the singte greatest initiative for the Bahamian people in the last 30 years. Surly this is what governmcnt ought to be about; assisting all in the society and not the specjal interest group. Nationat Health Insurance witl be your legacy ranking above Urban Renewal.

As you go forward Prime Minister, it is my hope that you will seek to reform our tax system, to make it more equitable as this may be the next major economic/social change and it is needed despcrately.

Yours, etc.,

Paul D. Moss Jr.