Finance Minister urge employers to adhere to NIS compliance requirements

Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh has issued a stern warning for employers “to get their houses in order” as it relates to compliance with the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). Dr. Singh made the call on Saturday, during an outreach facilitated by NIS at Enterprise, East Coast Demerara.

The minister told the media, that in accordance with government’s plan to improve and modernise every institution of state, focus is being placed on NIS. He explained that it is primary source of health insurance and social security, and the only contributory pension for a majority of Guyanese. Dr. Singh stressed that the government, is currently working with NIS’ board of directors and management to improve its services. He admitted that many of the issues are as a result of non-compliance by some employers.

“My call to employers out there is to ensure that you get your houses in order, in relation to compliance with the law as it relates to NIS for your employees. There are certain particular categories of companies I won’t want to name them here, but there are certain categories of companies that have a lot of employees, that are notorious for either non-deduction or late payment to the NIS,” Dr. Singh warned. The minister appealed also to employees to uplift their annual contribution statements from their employers, which he said is provided by NIS.

“Please make sure that you uplift that statement, verify its accuracy and resolve any inaccuracies that you have detected as early as possible. Do not wait until you are age 60 or age 62, to come and resolve queries that arose when you were age 25 or age 30 because as time goes by it becomes harder to resolve older problems,” he explained. The finance minister pointed out that late queries may also be challenging to solve when people do not have records such as pay slips, or some businesses may no longer be in operation.

NIS’ Public Relations Officer, Dianne Lewis-Baxter disclosed that the outreaches, which are being held in various parts of the country will help solve many outstanding issues. “We are seeking to address those persons who have challenges, reaching NIS maybe on a normal day-to-day basis, and those who have had long outstanding matters that they feel dissatisfied with after NIS would have made a decision, probably we went to tribunal and they are still not satisfied, they have the opportunity to come and have it reviewed again, by the Minister, the board of directors and of course the general manager is part of the team, as well,” the PRO explained.

Baxter revealed that services offered at the outreach include access to contribution records, replacement of NIS cards, issuing of compliance certificates, making contribution payments or encashing vouchers and updating information, among others. Meanwhile, several persons who benefitted from the outreach expressed their appreciation for the initiative.

“Honourable minister Dr. Ashni Singh and the rest of the team that is here and they looking after NIS contributions, I’m satisfied…They promise me to look further into my problem, and to assist me,” a resident, Krishnanan Arjun said. “I’m satisfied because meh contribution was 961 and now, I get 1400, so I satisfy with that and I glad the minister look into NIS and come because a lot of persons who get this complain and them don’t know who to go to,” Mohamed Ramazan, another beneficiary of the outreach added.