NIS internal investigations Into pension fraud Ongoing Police to get involved – PRO

PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER (PRO), MS. DIANNE LEWIS BAXTER SAYS
INVESTIGATIONS ARE ONGOING INTO THE ALLEGED PENSION FRAUD at the
Linden branch of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) involving payments to 91-year-old
Wismar resident, Ms. Eula Hicks.
Baxter told www.aroundtheregions.com the NIS headquarters in the capital city is still probing
the allegations and when internal investigations are finished the matter will be handed over to the
police.
The matter which was first reported more than three weeks ago, saw nonagenarian Hicks going
to uplift her pension from the Mackenzie Office only to be told her voucher was already cashed.
Hicks, who lives alone, believes it was an ‘inside job’ since the page for that month’s payment
also mysteriously disappeared from her book which is tightly secured by her.
The authorities in Linden have since been hard-pressed to convince the 91-year-old with their
explanation.
“Somebody already collected that money, so you will have to check back another month as the
money was cashed and there is nothing that we can do about that,” was the brusque response
from a public servant to the dumbfounded senior citizen queries.
Recalling the ordeal, Hicks related to www.aroundtheregions.com she pressed the NIS employee
to find a resolution, but without success

“I asked her what will happen as I never got my money and that something has to be wrong
because it wasn’t me who picked up the money. I said I need some (better) explanation as to
what took place, but all they told me is that there is nothing that can be done about it, and they
(NIS Linden) will not know who did it.”
Several senior NIS officials in Georgetown were stunned when www.aroundtheregions.com
broached the issue with them to seek some clarity. Two senior officials at the Georgetown
branch had expressed surprise that they were kept in the dark by the NIS Linden Branch
Manager, Ms. Gweneth Bourne.
“The truth is that we find it very strange that Ms. Bourne never told us here in Georgetown about
this situation. We will certainly have to speak to Ms. Bourne to determine why and what really
happened,” a senior official said speaking on the conditions of anonymity.
Bourne had promised to launch an investigation into the disappearance of the senior citizen’s
monthly payment, but repeatedly avoided taking calls from this media house after the initial
interview.
The NIS officials in the capital had noted that while facts have established that someone other
than Eula Hicks drew the money, they cannot jump to conclusions about what really transpired.
“We will have to firstly retrieve that voucher and then take it from there as we would attempt to
see if the signature of the person can be identified in trying to track them down. This is not an
open and close situation and it may take time,” one of the officials had explained.
But Bourne’s behaviour has raised the proverbial red flags.
“She gave the assurance that she is seeking the voucher from Georgetown and now there is
something else being said. It is as though the manager is seeking time to destroy whatever
evidence and/or cover whoever tracks that need to be covered. I find it very strange that
Georgetown was never informed of the situation and this is very unacceptable,” a relative of
pensioner Eula Hicks complained.

One of Ms. Hicks children said she and other siblings will be pressing for the police involvement
in the fraud. The source told www.aroundtheregions.com that the police will open investigations.
“This is fraud and somebody has to pay because this cannot go unnoticed. Someone either with
the help of person/s at NIS in Linden defrauded ‘mummy’ of her money and action must be
taken because the law will have to take its course.”
However, after almost two weeks later when this media house reached out again, the PRO
confirmed that she is receipt of all the documents and information promising that the matter is
being addressed.
“The documents were forwarded to my desk and it is presently being investigated,” the PRO
said.
She was apologetic about delays in updating this media on the fraud which the NIS “doesn’t take
lightly”.
“The police will be getting involved once we have determined that a fraud was committed as that
is the usual procedure,” Baxter emphasised.
“In the new week the (NIS internal investigations) are expected to be resolved with the
police taking appropriate actions,” Baxter predicted.