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An evil practice that must be eradicated
Dear Editor,
Recently I was approached by a senior Indigenous pensioner, who worked with the then government from the year 1970 – 1987, and later on worked on “A Drainage & Irrigation Project” for the government, from 2006 – 2014. He went to enquire about his NIS pension, and was informed by one of the employees that he is not entitled to a pension as his contributions fell short of the necessary quantum of 750 units. He managed to get a breakdown of the two sets of contributions as listed below:-
Year Contributions
1970 44
1971 23
1972 9
1973 0
1974 45
1975 9
1976 0
1977 0
1978 0
1979 19
1980 52
1981 0
1982 47
1983 0
1984 0
1985 0
1986 0
1987 28
Total 18 years 50% of contributions are zero Total Contributions 276
Year Contributions
2006 35
2007 53
2008 52
2009 52
2010 52
2011 51
2012 53
2013 43
2014 8
Total 9 years 1/3 of the contributions are unacceptable. Total Contributions 347
The pensioner was presented with a Voucher No-3067966, valued at 164,614.00 G dollars, even though he insisted he wanted his pension and hence he asked for an investigation into the zero contributions during his 18 years working at the Ministry of Works at Mabaruma, NWD, Region 1.
His reason in wanting his pension is to ensure that his wife would come in for help from his pension, if he should die before her. It would appear that during the years 1970 – 1987 deductions were taken from his earnings and no doubt from the government department; the issue is why were they not submitted to the relevant officers at the National Insurance Scheme in Mabaruma? This is an isolated case, but I have been informed that this way of proceeding is very common throughout the country. I sincerely hope that the present government will stamp out this evil practice, of deducting payments from individual salaries and employers contribution and failing to pass them on to the relevant unit in the NIS office. Thank you for publishing this open letter.
Fr. Malcolm Rodrigues
Member of the Indigenous Peoples’ Commission.
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Father, thanks for highlighting the issue which is not isolated. The government is one of the worst culprits where NIS contributions are concerned. Some the years of non payments involve years when stamped cards were used and stored at the NIS. It strikes me as strange that even years when automatic deductions were made that such payments were not remitted. All is, however, not lost and the pensioner is right not to take the one time lump sum payment.
I thought that the Associate at the NIS, instead of rushing to pay the lump sum, should have advised the pensioner the courses open to him e.g Getting a letter from the Government agency where he worked as proof of employment. An appeal would be filled with the tribunal. After this he will get his benefits. I sympathize with the pensioner. He needs his pension to survive. He will also enjoy his back pay. Father, I know you are genuinely concerned, please assist this pensioner.