NIS goes to court against market vendors

Jul 09, 2013 News

Several of the New Amsterdam Market vendors have been summoned to court by the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and have been since ordered to pay insurance dues.
As a result, the vendors are outraged. They are complaining that the move by the NIS will put an additional strain on their budget. They said that most of them are very old and it is very difficult to contribute at this point.
“I told the inspector who did the survey that I am 53 years old and she told me to go into NIS. When I went, nobody was there…I am a big person—where can I work to pay 750 contributions?” one vendor questioned
“Right now I am old and I can’t pay NIS …Where will I get the money to pay the contributions? I might die just now.”
Kaieteur News understands that three months ago, NIS inspectors visited the market and conducted a survey which was intended to capture non-paying vendors into the insurance net. And the net captured a lot.
Other vendors complained of business being very bad at the moment and asked how in the world they could contribute additionally to the scheme.
“I ain’t believe that market vendors—at least the older types—should pay the money—not people who are 50- something. I am not in agreement with it. Why they want NIS now from people? They only trying to punish poor people!” complained an irate vendor.
Area Manager of NIS New Amsterdam, Mr. Michael Patterson, stated, “There have been repeated visits. The market is treated as a common ground where inspectors of the New Amsterdam local office visit the market on a monthly basis.”
Ms. Marcia Williams, Office Manager of the New Amsterdam branch of the NIS stated that several visits were made to the market by both inspectors “to have vendors comply with the National Insurance and Social Security Act. Unfortunately, we have not been getting the cooperation of all of the vendors.
“As a result of that,” she stated, “there was a joint exercise involving all the inspectors in the area, where the vendors were visited and served notices, for yet another time, because notices were issued before.”
“They were asked to come into the office to put themselves in order. They failed to do so and charges were filed against them in the court. The magistrate has had to deal with those charges. The matters were heard; some were fined, some will have to return to court; some were asked to come into the local office to put themselves in order.”
The NIS has an ongoing exercise in Area One (Region Six) to ensure compliance to the National Insurance and Social Security Act.

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NIS goes to court against market vendors

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