NIS and the ‘Bleeding’ of Guyanese Citizens

Jan 28, 2023 Letters

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Dear Editor,

I write on behalf of Mrs. Umawattie Singh, a senior citizen and pensioner, and her matter with the National Insurance Scheme of Guyana (NIS). I wish to firstly state that Mrs. Umawattie Singh is not a person of much learning and is self-employed as a vendor. Understanding the importance of complying with the laws as a self- employed individual, she ensured she got registered as a self-employed person with the NIS.

Paying for a lifetime and reaching the age of 60, Mrs. Umawattie Singh decided to get a NIS contribution print out and apply for her deserved pension. She was surprised when she was told by the NIS office that she had overpaid by thirty (30) contributions but short one by the age of 60. This was heart rendering, painful, extremely depressing, and had a profound effect on her health. The question to ask is “how many people of high education know this?” I myself with all my education and exposure never knew, it is by chance that I paid the amounts required by the law.

This is very painful to a citizen of this country who means to comply with the laws of the country. As one without much learning and being a poor vendor, Mrs. Umawattie Singh suffered to pay, only to be told that because of one contribution by error maybe on her part or that of the NIS, she does not qualify. It is my belief, that NIS should establish a policy of auditing employees total contributions so as they are approaching close to the stipulated age of retirement they are given notice long in advance of the number of outstanding contributions they need to completely cover so that at the age of 60 they are completely funded under the scheme and can access all their benefits.

I know that the NIS was conceptualized with the philosophy and policy to serve the citizens of this country. The aim was to make life easy for those who wish to be a part of the scheme. In this case a person compelled by the law, as a self-employed person with a small vending spot fulfilled her legal obligations. I find this most laudable.

Mrs. Umawattie Singh displayed maximum respect for the laws of the country and also cared for her future by sacrificing to pay for these decades, to the point where she overpaid by 30 contributions. Many in this country refuse to comply with the laws. Her discipline displays great respect for the National Insurance Scheme, the laws, and for her future benefits. Mrs. Singh despite being an ordinary vendor and having fallen ill on many occasions never applied for sick benefits, prescriptions drug benefits or sick leave, except for one occasion that involved a pair of spectacles. She is entitled to a pair of spectacles every two years.

Further, she was never informed that if she did not established a pattern of claiming for Health Benefits with the National Insurance Scheme upon retirement she cannot claim Health Care Benefits under the scheme. This is the case with many of our service men (the police, the army, security services etc), who very rarely reported sick on the job, nor use the NIS medical coverage available to them as employees. Upon retirement they discover that they are not entitled to medical coverage under the scheme since a pattern of illness claim has not been established for them.

I wish to put on the record the fact that this above report outlining Mrs. Umawattie Singh’s case involving her NIS contributions was brought to the attension of the General Manager of the National Insurance Scheme, located at Brickdam and Winter Place in Georgetown, along with a request from yours truly, that Mrs. Umawattie Singh be allowed to pay this one contribution that was missed not by intent but by chance and by a person who simply does not understand the process of compilation of contributions and that some leniency and consideration be given to her based on the specifics of her case and her age. However, from the General Manager’s Office of the National Insurance Scheme came, and what I considered to be a most terse and uncaring response, to the effect of: “It is unfortunate that Ms. Singh did not reach the required amount of contributions to qualify for a National Insurance Pension” (Letter by National Insurance Scheme).

Therefore, I now make this public appeal in the media, to the Government of Guyana, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, all relevant persons and authorities, and once again to the NIS Head Office that some humanity, and some kindness with concern for our senior citizens be extended to Mrs. Singh, and other elderly persons with similar cases as hers.

Yours sincerely,

Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan

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• Brickdam, Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan, Mrs. Umawattie Singh, National Insurance Scheme of Guyana, Winter Place

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