Relief brought to Region Two residents through NIS outreaches

The outreaches being held by the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) continues to have positive
outcomes that are bringing relief to Guyanese countrywide.
On Saturday, two persons were able to receive their NIS pension books after waiting years to
have their issues resolved. Receiving their books were Kenneth Chunoo and Pitamber Sukoo of
Region Two. The two men received their books from Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, during
an outreach being held in the region. Chunoo said he had applied for his pension book since 2017
when he encountered the issue of missing contributions. He said that since then, he had been
back and forth trying to resolve the matter.

He explained that he received a sum of money in the form of a grant from NIS. The man stated
that he later appealed the matter in an effort to start receiving his pension. Chunoo explained that
it was at the recent Presidential outreach in the region that he started to made some headway in
his case. There, he said, he was able to speak to the President resulting in him receiving his
pension book today. “I feel quite alright because I am not working anywhere and I got to pay
bills and everything. So, now that I get the pension, I thank God for it,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sukoo said he too encountered a delay of two years in receiving his pension book.
He was also issued a grant but later appealed the decision. He said when he visited the NIS office
in the region, he was asked to make contact with the Head Office in Georgetown where the
matter was eventually resolved. After collecting his pension book, Sukoo said, “it means I will
be receiving my NIS payment on a regular basis… I am very happy about it that I have received
this book.” He expressed gratitude to the staff of NIS and the minister for ensuring his matter
was dealt with.
Both men who received their pension books, also received payments from the time they were
eligible to start receiving them. Dr Singh said he was happy to have the long-standing issues
affecting Guyanese resolved. “Very similar, we hope to resolve as many issues as we possibly
can,” the Minister Singh said.
Scores of persons turned out on Saturday to meet with the Finance Minister to have their NIS
issues resolved.