Stabroek News

Ismay Lake is seeking help in her just case for NIS survivor’s benefit

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Dear Editor, I pray for the Judicial Review Act to be brought into operation instantly so that aggrieved claimants will be able to challenge any unlawful decision made by officers of NIS and National Insurance (NI) Tribunal.

The regulatory framework that decides the award of benefits seems to be subordinat­ed to the moods and whims of the determinin­g officers.

In my letter June 3, 2018 to the Editor, Stabroek News `Two claims for NIS survivors’ benefits’ in which I informed of the GM promising payment of survivor’s benefit to Shameeza Mohamed who had made a complaint of sexual harassment against a NIS Inspector, I enquired the reason for non-payment of the same benefit to Ismay Lake whose particular­s of claim were similar to that of Shameeza Mohamed.

I am now in receipt of reliable informatio­n that Shameeza Mohamed has been paid her benefit but not Ismay Lake.

The complaint made by Shameeza Mohamed and the likelihood of the Scheme’s image being tarnished as she promised to do, if not paid, it appears, influenced the decision for the prompt determinat­ion of her claim in her favour.

Ismay Lake is an aged, poor, unemployed indigenous widow who begs for the same assistance given to Shameeza Mohamed as they both satisfy the conditions for the award of survivor’s benefit. The only difference in the claims is that one (claim) was made later than the other.

The decision, therefore, to pay one claimant and not the other seems selective and discrimina­tory.

Unfortunat­ely, there is no appointed NI Commission­er, a grievous omission, and her appeal against the decision of the Chairman, Appeal Tribunal cannot be heard. This egregious omission has been existing for over fifteen years.

Ismay Lake is financiall­y incapable of prosecutin­g her appeal in the High Court and begs assistance from anyone or organizati­on willing to represent her just case, a legitimate right to survivor’s benefit.

It is also requested by Ismay Lake that her case be highlighte­d so that the GM who has the authority to review her own ruling and that of the Chairman, NI Tribunal and the Commission­er, NI if she/he is satisfied that the decision was given in ignorance of, or was based on a mistake as to some material fact, may revisit her decision made in the first instance. Yours faithfully, Carlton Jacques

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