Miller warns of organ sales
(CNS): The Independent member for North Side has raised a number of questions about the Human Tissue Transplant Bill, which is currently awaiting final passage on the table of the Legislative Assembly. Ezzard Miller said the drafting of the legislation has left open the possibility that human organs and tissue could be sold for cash. He has also questioned who exactly, other than a medical practitioner, would be allowed to remove or authorise the removal of tissue as is currently indicated in the legislation before the House. The minister who brought the legislation, however, has denied that it provides for the sale of organs and said he would be clarifying exactly who is being referred to in clause 18 of the law.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Miller said he was denied an opportunity to express his concerns in the House because of changes to the order paper. Miller stated that, despite knowing that he had concerns, after he left because of a prior engagement in his constituency the government altered the order paper.
“Having started very late and taken a more than two hour lunch, the government was forced to sit late but the two bills with which I had concerns had not been scheduled to be debated after I left. Having been in the house since 9:30 that morning and waiting on government’s timetable, I was unable to remain for the late sitting after the House hours had already drawn to a close because of a constituency engagement. The minister knew I had objections and concerns and was going to propose amendments to address them when the House was due to meet this Friday. Instead, the government opted to debate these bills in my absence.”
Miller pointed to a transcript of the LA proceedings, where the former premier appears to have instructed the health minister to move both the health practitioners and human organ bills up the order paper.
“I thought there was an agreement that we would do two health bills,” Mckeeva Bush, asked the speaker during the late session. “If we don’t read that then you are going to have your backside bust … Ezzard come back and he’ll pass them bill … you better read what I am trying to tell you,” he added. As a result, Health Minister Mark Scotland presented the two bills, which form part of government’s agreement with Dr Devi Shetty, and took them through to the second reading.
Miller said that he would be pressing for both of the bills to be considered by a select committee of the LA, but in particular the human tissue bill, which would give the legislators time to carefully review the language of the legislation and address the problems he believes the law presents. The North Side member said that he is genuinely concerned that the law as written will allow for the sale of human tissue, which is an extremely dangerous situation and against numerous international treaties that Cayman is party to.
“My concern is that the bill, if passed into law, would allow the buying and selling of human tissue and organs. I am also concerned with the composition of the human tissue transplant council which will be appointed by politicians in Cabinet. Who is going to prescribe persons or classes of persons other than registered medical practitioners that could remove tissue and authorised tissue removal?” he asked.
Citing a list of amendments that he feels should be made, Miller said he hopes that if the government will not allow these issues to be discussed during a select committee hearing, that government will allow the amendments to be made during the committee stage process of the bill’s passage.
“I am so concerned about the bill becoming law in its present form that I suggested to the minister that the bill be withdrawn until the questions can be addressed,” Miller added.
However, the minster has denied that the law allows for the sale of human tissue and regulates the financing or payment in relation to the removal and transfer of organs not for the organs themselves.
Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Scotland said the legislation does not allow the sale of organs or tissue, which he said is prohibited. He said it would pave the way for future transplants in Cayman in the long term but in the short term it would allow patients in this jurisdiction to get on to international lists for transplant once the law is in place and has already assisted some people in need of transplant.
Scotland said that he would be clarifying clause 18 that suggests people other than doctors may be able to remove or authorize removal of tissue before the committee stage of the bill.
Category: Health
Nothing wrong with Ezzard pointing out the need to tighten up some language in a bill. The problem is that to get folks to listen or even understand there may be an issue he has to point out the “worst case” scenario.
Our actual hospitals are not even equipped to do planned organ transfers so criminals stealing organs from random people with the intent of selling organs to be transplanted in off-the-record surgeries is a scenario that will essentially never happen in Cayman. If anyone on our island needs a transplant they have to be flown to the US or the UK (as they choose) via air ambulance, at great cost, so think about it logistically – its just not going to happen. This article is just more fear mongering in an attempt to convince people against progress.
Obviously this is a worst case scenario. However, when bills are passed into law the intention should be long and far-reaching. Otherwise you would spend every year re-working the same legislation, which would be a waste of resources. (Not to say that legislation should not be re-worked or amended, but perhaps it would only have to be every ten years or so). When you legislate you should look at as many possibilities that can occur under the proposed law. Perhaps now Cayman is not equipped for this, but who's to say that we will never be? Also, in the countries where this sort of thing occurs it is not always happening in the most sterile and clean hospital environments. We are talking about this happening where you are left for dead because your organs have been harvested.
Personally I'm glad that there is someone like Ezzard in government who thinks about all possible repercussions. Isn't it better to be prepared for this sort of thing, so that it is defined as illegal and therefore a criminal? Prevention is better than cure. Currently it doesn't hurt anything to just amend the language of the legislation now rather than to wait for the situation to arise.
Obviously this is a worst case scenario. However, when bills are passed into law the intention should be long and far-reaching. Otherwise you would spend every year re-working the same legislation, which would be a waste of resources. (Not to say that legislation should not be re-worked or amended, but perhaps it would only have to be every ten years or so). When you legislate you should look at as many possibilities that can occur under the proposed law. Perhaps now Cayman is not equipped for this, but who's to say that we will never be? Also, in the countries where this sort of thing occurs it is not always happening in the most sterile and clean hospital environments. We are talking about this happening where you are left for dead because your organs have been harvested.
Personally I'm glad that there is someone like Ezzard in government who thinks about all possible repercussions. Isn't it better to be prepared for this sort of thing, so that it is defined as illegal and therefore a criminal? Prevention is better than cure. Currently it doesn't hurt anything to just amend the language of the legislation now rather than to wait for the situation to arise.
Well obviously black market organ deals aren't going down in the most clean and sterile of environments, I just don't see this becoming an issue in Cayman. What then? Are the genius criminals we have currently plaguing our island going to be escalating from broken car windows and home robberies to successful organ harvesting?
The average cost of a kidney off the black market is about 150,000 american dollars. Thats probabily a low ball figure. I am sure they can deliver the organ to anywhere in the world along with the customer to a doctor who would perform the operation. Where the operation occurrs is a factor only after the organ has been donated. Having a clear and transparent registration process so that a unregulated organ-hub does not evolve from lackluster regulations is relevant.
But we all ready started organ selling, haven’t we? I mean look at how the road situation worked out? Somebodies hearts were bought! But what Ezzard is saying is true. With as much craziness happening in the world now, Cayman is no exception to it. Glad somebody is thinking out loud.
Frightening indeed. Next they’ll be wanting to sell pianos and tubas!
Ezzard obviously watched the 2006 movie "Turistas" and believes that could happen here by the many prominent modern day pirates that are so eager to turn a blind eye to wrong.
shetty …just like CEC… is just a big scam to extract huge concessions from cig without anything going back in return except vague soon come fairytales…..
It is happening around the world, places like India, people are kidnapped or made unconscious and having an organ removed, and sold to the U.S. and Europe for thousands of dollars, enough to buy you a house. If you think I am joking research on the internet. This is the kind of world we are in today, and think we should do whatever we can to not encourage such a gruesome crime here.
And so begins the conspiracy theories, just what Cayman needs another negative rumor. Way to go Ezzard..This venture is backed by one of the largest medical institutions in the US do you not think they would already have this covered..Miller needs to stop blowing smoke out of his A$$ and come up with some ideas of his own to help instead of surviving off bashing everyone else’s.
Drum roll please! And this has got to be none other than the infamous Mr. Wanna dictate to everybody, rather than dealing with his own demons…… Joey Ebanks …. Ole boy we know you’re just eager to claw at Ezzard every opportunity you can get but nobody is interested in what you have to say other than the investigators, the Judge and the Jury – have a seat please!
FYI – crime doesn’t stop, criminals just continue to get better at their craft so sit there thinking that it can’t or won’t happen!
People go missing in cayman and never to be found. No surprise when more and more people go missing with this new law.
Unreal, now Cayman will be known and the illegal body pary capitol of the carribean…
People go missing in Cayman because it's too easy to tie a couple concrete blocks around someone's feet and throw them off the 12 Mile Banks – no one is gonna find you at the bottom of the Cayman Trench. The fact people go missing has literally nothing to do with organ stealing.
Brain transplants!!!!!!!!!
Maybe that can improve the quality of our elected leaders!
Maybe … I've always suspected one or two of them of being brain donors.
Methinks that our politicians are overpaid.
I hear in Honduras the sale of organs is very lucrative. I understand they are killing people and taking their organs and selling them on the black market. My question is, what’s going to stop that from happening here?
We will have to bring in some qualified expats and their work permits will read "Organ Harvester.""
And then there's always the monkey and the organ grinder……..kind of like politics.
Some of the comments here are insanely careless. I'm glad somebody is watching out for sloppy legislation. Next time you wake up in a tub full of ice with a surigical scar on your side, dont call me.
It never ceases to amaze me how dense some Caymanians are! Watch what will happen if these things that Mr. miller is concerned about, are not implemented in that bill! We will have one more thing to worry about. May can't come too quickly!
what about the part of the bill where there is a "no queastion asked" in regards to where the organs come from?
There is also a human organ or human trafficking where people are killed to take their organs from them. This law is nothing to play with. Cayman is not ready for this kind of ;advancement, they are naive to the high level of crime that can be generated from organ doning. People are murdered and their organs taken from them.
ALSO if an individual is very ill or involved in a car accident there is also crime committed against them, their human rights to live is violated and their life is cut off short because
medical practitioners or suppliers in the organ doning business would suppress lifegiving and life support treatment to prolong the life of a poor person who can't afford certain medical care.
So the rich would live and the poor could wind up dying at the hands of crooked criminal minded doctors who get rich off poor people dying.
EZZARD, we stand behind you with your concerns.Too many ignorant people trying to run this country, we need Ezzard for Premier.
Please no, Ezzard can investigate as much as he wants BUT please no, not as premeir.
What do you mean, please not Ezzard for premier? Certainly not Alden. He can
not stand up for anything and he certainly is Not in the least concerned about jobs for Caymanians. He's in favor of flooding Cayman with Canadian liberals too many of them in the local law firms filled with them. So I would go with Ezzard. Alden just wants to be Premier, he just don't know why!
If you think you are going to be better off under Alden, think again.
Ezzzard will make a good premier. Its the corrupt persons isn this forum who do not want to see him get that job. The people will speak on May 22, 2013 an also God will speak when its time for the premier to be chosen.
Ezzard is just as good as any candidate there and better than many.
No he’s not. He’s appalling. Utterly negative. Not a constructive bone in his body.
If Mac or JuJu are in the market I'd like their Gall.
yo ho. very good!
and I would like Joey Ebank's Gall !
No surprise here Miller was one of the biggest opposers to the Shetty hospital, which he actually call the Shi*(&ty hospital. He is probably looking for more reasons to stop it..
Cayman will need to be particularly careful that it does not become associated, even by perception, with the trade in kidneys sold by people, including children, from countries where poverty is rife. Government must have procedures which absolutely guarantee that they know the true origin of organs to be used in surgical procedures in Cayman, and how those organs were procured. In recent years, slums in India have been internationally exposed as a major source of “Black Market” kidneys.
Please spare us Ezzard…how many times has the LA actually been in session in the last calendar year? Like 10 times maybe? Mr Miller, you couldn't possibly reschedule your busy personal affairs to actually remain at work a bit later to represent your district as you are paid to do? How many regular non-government workers are asked to work overtime?!? Cry us a river! We know that Mr Miller famously saw fit to protest the few active sessions that have actually taken place, and this time, he whines about debates on subjects he shows interest in, but forget him putting in an hour of overtime! Gone home. Mr Miller has good points every now and then, but really man, you've got to do your job if the public is paying you to be there – long lunches or not.
I have a piano for sale. Just kidding . I hope Miller gets his own house in order in the near future
Just when I thought that we were making some progress Ezzard spouts crap about the sale of tissue and organs like the sale of a car part. Transplantation of organs, tissue and even bone is something that saves hundreds of thousands of lives around the world each year and recipients have to wait for years for matching donors. While there is indeed a black market for organs and tissue this is not a procedure that can be done without the most sophisticated medical facilities and procedures which Cayman shamefully lacks. C'mon you backwards idiots lets put such life saving laws behind us and focus on other things that you can waste time arguing about in the LA. If we had decent medical facilities here in Cayman there would not be such a great need for residents to seek care overseas. We could keep the money here. How about asking the churches for a donation from their "nation building fund" for some medical equipment??????
Crackheads be sellin their kidneys in WB next!
they already sellin other parts…..
Oh dear, electioneering…3.5 years of nothing and now everyone is concerned. Why raise this now with 1.5 days left til the governor dismisses the MLA?
Whilst the subject is indeed important and needs proper legislation could I suggest that all current MLA's prevail of the lack of law at this time to purchase themselves brains that work properly, that don't do corruption and work hard and long for the benefit of Cayman rather than their own? It would be the wisest investment ever made..
For the people with no sense of humour, this is Friday afternoon ghoulish amusement, and no I do not mean that they should kill innocent people to do this, even if it were possible, which I beleive it is not currently. Have great weekends!
Has Ezzard Miller ever, even just once presented an idea to make things better? All this man seems to do is complain about anything other people present. I understand he is only one man but please tell me what legislation he has brought forward and tried to get passed. It seems no matter what is presented he has an issue with it. I would think that the CIGwould have taken samples of this law from other countries and used it, say the UK for example. I don't think there is a huge issue with organ sales in the UK, but I may be wrong. Organ transplants are so common around the globe, that it amazes me Cayman is just now addressing this topic.
The only way Ezzard presents things as being for the good of the country is if they are done HIS way and without regard to anyone else including the electorate. He is a classic example of the "my way or the highway" approach to politics. A dangerous fellow as we saw in the 1990s.
This law should be very carefully drafted to avoid Mr Millers concerns, which are valid, particularly in the absence of strict legislation. There is already a huge demand for organs on the black market:
http://www.naturalnews.com/036052_organ_harvesting_kidneys_black_market.html
http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/human-biology/organ-donation7.htm
I didn’t realize that there was widespread fear of illegal organ harvesting in North Side. If that’s the case, then maybe his constituency would have been better served if actually stayed the entire day.
anything done especially for shetty is a backward step for cayman's international medical standing….
I was unable to work ovrtime as I have more important thing to do. It must be nice to have a well paying job like that.
Did you really think US patients would travel here for heart surgery?! Come in! It’s always been about building a “parts shop”. Cuban and Latin organs for US patients