Hon. Peter Kenilorea Jr. recently took to Facebook to voice his concerns regarding the news of the National Provident Fund (NPF) exploring a joint public-private partnership (PPP) with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS).
The Honorable wrote, things that make you go hmmm: From the news and other sources, it seems that SI National Provident Fund (NPF) seems to be the only go to place for domestic resource mobilization. The words ‘investment’ and ‘PPP’ have been liberally thrown around lately in the same sentence as NPF.
Last year we heard of NPF partnering with a middle eastern outfit to build a 5 star US based hotel chain in Honiara. That ‘investment’ announcement was made by our head of government, the PM, perhaps as part of GNUT policy. I wondered, when I read of this news, if NPF themselves were aware of this deal. And whether due diligence was undertaken to ensure this ‘investment’ was sound. Let’s not mix politics with NPF, which has its own processes.
On PPP, the Mamara Estate new Chinese City was hailed as a glowing example of public private partnership (PPP) in action on our shores, when the housing estate was launched with much fanfare. In a debate in the last house, I challenged DCGA’s definition of PPP questioning whether DCGA really understood what PPP entails. I suggested that from my perspective the Mamara development was really a vendor/buyer scenario. Someone was simply looking to sell their prefab buildings to the SIG who in that scenario was simply a buyer.
Now with a reported visit to National Referral Hospital (NRH) and the new PRC built comprehensive health building by the NPF board and health senior managers, ‘investment’ and ‘PPP’ are now used, this time within the context of healthcare.
I acknowledge that this latest round of potential NPF investment are reported as exploratory only. I, therefore, urge the NPF board to really study these proposals.
All considerations on how to invest the people’s money (NPF) should be made in a prudent fashion with due diligence.
Otherwise, making money from health could work, but I feel the context for it to work is anchored in the privatization of health care, the total opposite to our current public good welfare approach to health.
It may mean a fundamental policy shift in the manner we deliver health services. Are we ready for that?
Until these questions, among many others, are answered, healthcare investment through a PPP arrangement with NPF is a concept that could end up being an exercise in folly at best, or at worse it could mean risking (and potentially losing) people’s money where return of investment may be uncertain.
But until more light is shed on these news reports we’re reading, NPF investing in health care through a PPP vehicle is another one of those developments that will be placed in my ‘things that make you go hmmm’ basket.
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– Statement by Peter Kenilorea Jnr
Thoughts? Iumi stori
