I am being denied the right to receive NIS pension to which I am entitled

Dear Editor,

I wish to ask your assistance in a matter that is of grave concern to me a contributor to the National Insurance Scheme.

I am being denied the right to receive a pension to which I am entitled. The National Insurance Scheme is exhibiting in no small measure a callous and uncaring attitude to the persons who have made the scheme possible, its contributors.

I reached the pensionable age in 2001 but received only a grant since the Scheme had on record only four hundred and fifty seven (457) contributions.

I appealed this ruling and the Appeal Tribunal allowed my appeal.

The then Head of the NIS rejected the appeal and advised that I appeal to the Commissioner of National Insurance. I learnt that the last Commissioner died about ten years ago.

In 2018 my issue was raised at a forum held at the Critchlow Labour College and the representative of the Scheme was able to find additional contributions to make the total on record six hundred and sixty (660).

It should be noted that there were two four-year periods of the time I was employed. With the Ministry of Works, from 1973 to 1976 when in one case not a single deduction was recorded. And the other 1979 to 1982 when records of contributions for two of those years were omitted.

One of the statements on the ‘Summary of Facts’ prepared for the Appeal Tribunal was ‘that the destruction of the Ministry of Works made it impossible for any additional contributions to be found’. The testimony of my ‘colleagues’ who attested to my work history at the Ministry of Works seems to have been overlooked. The Guyana Revenue Authority to which I was directed, informed me that that their records were waterlogged and were of no use to me.

Am I to be penalised because of the destruction of the Ministry of Works by fire and the waterlogging of the Revenue Authority’s records?

The referral of this matter to the Commissioner of National Insurance is useless. The incumbent Head of the NIS I assume is competent to revisit this issue and I am sure only one decision can be arrived at. I feel as if my human rights are being violated. I did not choose to contribute to the National Insurance Scheme it was compulsory.

Yours faithfully,

Unel Clarke