We get the Bahamas Insurance Association’s take on NHI. Chairman Emmanuel Komolafe and Deputy Chairman Lyrone Burrows discuss the BIA’s alternative approach to National Health Insurance, which includes making health insurance mandatory for all legal residents, and making private insurers unable to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions. The BIA believes the cost to implement NHI will be significantly higher than the government’s consultants’ maximum estimates of about $600+K; the BIA’s max estimates are closer to $1B.We also discuss the impact of the planned July 1 implementation of VAT on Health and General Insurance premiums.

Be sure to follow Dwight on twitter @MorningBlend969 and check out our new Facebook page! http://facebook.com/MorningBlend969 Also contact us via email at morningblend@nasguard.com and call in to the studio 325 4316, 325 4259 or 323 6232 .

Be sure to follow Dwight on twitter @MorningBlend969 and check out our new Facebook page! http://facebook.com/MorningBlend969 Also contact us via email at morningblend@nasguard.com and call in to the studio 325 4316, 325 4259 or 323 6232 .

NAGB’s Blank Canvas airs Wednesday nights at 6:30pm.http://www.nagb.org.bs or Twitter @nagbahamas

We have a heated discussion about raising the minimum wage of The Bahamas with members of the Trade Union Congress (T.U.C.). As part of our LABOUR WEEK discussions, Tyrone “Rock” Morris, T.U.C. General Secretary, Herman Armbrister, Bahamas General Workers Union, and Rudolph Stubbs, Bahamas Customs, Immigration & Allied Workers Union, tell us the T.U.C. believes the minimum wage should be raised from the current $150.00 a week (or about $210.00 a week in the civil service) to $350.00 a week. That would put the country’s minimum wage above the federal minimum wage of the United States, but well below those of developed economies like Australia, France, the UK, New Zealand and Canada. The Bahamas already has the highest minimum wage of the independent nations in the Caribbean. Morris also tells us the T.U.C. and rival NCTU will likely have separate marches on Randol Fawkes Labour Day this Friday.

Pictured left to right; MorningBlend Co-host Farrell Goff; Rudolph Stubbs; Herman Armbrister; Tyrone “Rock” Morris; and MorningBlend Host Dwight Strachan.

Be sure to follow Dwight on twitter @MorningBlend969 and check out our new Facebook page! http://facebook.com/MorningBlend969 Also contact us via email at morningblend@nasguard.com and call in to the studio 325 4316, 325 4259 or 323 6232 .

We get reaction to the govt.’s proposed ban on “wrecked” vehicles and on vehicles more than 10-years old. Dwaine Scavella, Bahamas Auto Repair Assoc. (pictured, second from left), and Demeko Williams, V.P., Bahamas Towing Assoc. (second from right) say that especially with wrecked vehicles, instead of an outright ban, clear industry standards should be implemented to clearly classify damaged vehicles, and to assess and determine the suitability of each specific vehicle to enter the country.Our guests and listeners are on the fence about the older vehicles, appreciating the concerns about safety and environmental issues. Some are worried that the proposed changes will mean many people will no longer be able to afford a vehicle of any kind.

Be sure to follow Dwight on twitter @MorningBlend969 and check out our new Facebook page! http://facebook.com/MorningBlend969 Also contact us via email at morningblend@nasguard.com and call in to the studio 325 4316, 325 4259 or 323 6232 .