No one should have to wait years on pensions, claims
-Finance Minister tells NIS staff
While urging persons to not procrastinate on checking their National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contributions or joining the scheme if they are self-employed, Minister with responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh said that NIS’ internal potential allows for speedy service and no one should have to wait years on claims and pensions.
He noted that working with staff at outreaches across the country earlier this year illustrated their capability, professionalism and dedication as hundreds of issues were resolved. It is this same attitude, he said he will like to see incorporated into the daily delivery of service.
“…Quality of service must be provided at all times, starting now, and my instructions to the board and to the management are that they are to have a zero-tolerance attitude to discourtesy, disrespect, inefficiency. They are to have a zero-tolerance attitude,” Singh stated, while speaking on Wednesday to staff of the headquarters at the agency’s 52nd anniversary celebrations.
The Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance said that contributors and pensioners after visiting any office must feel as if they have received the best of service.
“I want the National Insurance Scheme to be known as an institution for quality service…” the minister added, at the event held at the Patrick Martinborough Multipurpose Complex, Carifesta Avenue..
The issues resolved at the outreaches, he noted should have been non-existent as the staff have the ability to handle queries at the office. According to him they must work to eliminate the “push around” culture which has existed in the system for too long. Singh said for issues that staff cannot handle, they should be immediately referred to their superiors for swift attention and resolution.
Singh stated that while close to 60,000 pensionable transactions are processed with ease monthly, there are pockets of persons who have issues and have to wait for their issues to be resolved.
On this note, he stated that staff should think about a person’s situation and seek the best way to lend assistance.
“Put yourself in the shoes of that person waiting for their pension to be paid… ask yourself how they live and how they are supported without employment…,” he stressed, while stating that in many cases persons depend on their NIS benefits after going off into retirement.
He pointed out that as the country transforms physically and economically, social transformation also needs to follow.
Singh told the employees that they must begin from now on, to deliver service that is on par with international standards.
“Guyana is moving into a modern society… we have to start discharging services with a high standard from now… a modern country deserves quality services and that quality service must be provided at all times,” he underscored.
But while telling staff what is expected of them, he also called on employers to honour their obligations and desist from withholding employees’ contributions to the social welfare scheme noting that they have a legal obligation to submit those.
“It’s not something that is negotiable. It is not a favour. It is not an act of benevolence. It is a legal obligation. It’s part of
the law governing employment and the terms and conditions of people in Guyana. And I’m urging all employers out there to ensure that you bring yourselves in order immediately,” said Singh.
He further urged young working persons especially those selfemployed to make an investment in themselves and those who are employed to make at least yearly enquiries on their contributions.
The Senior Minister called on young working adults to check their records and not wait until they are approaching 60 before making queries. He noted said this can have a negative impact as contributions may not be recorded or chances are a previous employer has closed down making it difficult to resolve any matter.
For those self-employed,
Singh urged them to make an investment in themselves from an early age and not wait until they are approaching 50 to consider a retirement plan.
“People traverse their 20s, 30s, 40s without that consideration and I want to encourage people to first of all participate in this scheme. It provides important benefits. It is in a form of investing in a pension which you get on your retirement. It is not at all a lot for you to invest in yourself…”, he stressed.
The minister had told Stabroek News that he is hoping that his message touches especially working youth so that they would join the scheme. He said that many times persons wait until they are nearing pensionable age or retirement to think about NIS contributions and sometimes it is too late.