The long journey to receive NIS benefits

Nov 09, 2020 Letters

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DEAR EDITOR,
I started the process of getting all the paperwork processed to receive my NIS pension six years ago and after passing my 60th birthday lately; I am so far unsuccessful. Please see details of my letter to the editor here to SN- Mar 14, 2016 – https://www.stabroeknews.com/2016/03/14/opinion/letters/waiting-nis-contributions-updated/
Thanks to SN and KN. After the publication of that letter, my contributions were updated and I am qualified to receive a pension with way over the 750 contributions required by NIS.
Two years of my contributions are still outstanding and I gave up on it after making numerous queries and supplying supporting documentation to NIS. I was advised by an ‘Ole Head’ – ‘Tek wha yuh goh get an wait fuh wha yuh want’.
So my story continues – In August 2020, I visited the Guyana Consulate Toronto website to seek information regarding the process to complete a first time application for NIS pension. The website was in a mess with sparse info and the tabs would direct you to a set of unsuitable pop ups. The website advised that an appointment must be made before visiting the Consulate. I completed the ‘contact us’ section, sent emails and called; after receiving no response; I contacted the High Commission in Ottawa. The young lady who answered and provided guidance was the best in customer service I have ever encountered in a long time by a Guyanese. Anyway, the HC in Ottawa intervened; I got a call from the Toronto Consulate and an appointment was made.
In late August, I visited the Guyana Consulate in Toronto, Canada and completed an application for NIS pension and provided all the necessary documentation which was notarized.
The Consulate Official who processed my application was very helpful and assisted me in completing the documents. He told me that they would send the documents to the NIS in Guyana for processing and that I must not post the originals because the postal service was not working due to Covid-19.
In October I contacted the Guyana Consulate in Toronto via email and phone and asked if they sent my documents to NIS in Guyana. After receiving no response, I contacted the HC in Ottawa and again they intervened. I received a phone call from an Officer and outlined my case and asked if my documents were sent. Nothing was achieved or sorted out by this phone call. After some persistence, I received an email from an Officer of the Toronto Consulate stating: ‘Kindly scan the original and send it by email. The Officer will resend the documents to NIS’. I replied via email stating that I do not have scanning facilities at home and if the documents were sent; it can be recovered and resent.
After that, I received another email from the same Officer who told me that ‘The Consulate wishes to advise that first time applicants for NIS Overseas Pension are required to send their notarized application and relevant notarized documents directly to the NIS office in Guyana.’ Two different responses should be noted here.
I also visited the NIS website and chatted with someone and inquired whether NIS had received my documents. The person told me that they did not receive any documentation. I was directed to make contact with a staff from NIS who would receive documentation sent. I was given a phone number but requested an email address which was later supplied. I emailed the staffer, who responded that I should send original documents to the NIS. I am yet to receive a reply to my last email in which I asked if the documents can be hand delivered to one of the NIS Local Office.
I also received an email from the Consul of the Toronto Consulate outlining how the documents should be sent. I also noticed that the Consulate webpage has been updated on October 29 with notices for first time applications.
The webpage is far better now to navigate than when I first visited it in August.
My observations are as follows:
1. I asked a simple question directed to The Guyana Consulate in Toronto – Was my documents sent or not? No answer was given. This is a simple yes/no answer why skirt around the issue. I belief that it was never sent. Just for argument sake. If I had scanned and send the docs when requested to do so by the Consulate Officer then that would have been ‘resent’ to NIS and I would have been misinformed because NIS requires original documents.2. On three occasions the Toronto Consulate did not reply to my emails and voice messages until I contacted the HC in Ottawa to intervene.
This is not good for the department of a Foreign Mission.
The two young ladies at the HC in Ottawa have provided excellent customer services.
3. NIS and other Government departments should modernize their application process and mirror what’s done by most companies.
You go on their website, find the application tabs, complete it, upload the supporting documents, click send and the application process is completed.
It is not my intention to ruffle any feathers, but I just wanted to highlight how frustrating it can be to overcome hurdles which should not happen if processes are made simple and straightforward.
Yours sincerely,
A Guyanese

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