Dear Editor,
The National Insurance Scheme is responding to the article ‘NIS crisis looms as reform pushed to back burner’ published in Stabroek Business, dated Friday, October 24, 2008 and would like to state the following:

1. That Cabinet granted approval for a reform of the National Insurance Scheme, and this process was conducted as stipulated by the Terms of Reference.

2. The Report of the Reform Committee was submitted to the Minister responsible for the National Insurance Scheme.
3. This report has to be tabled and passed in Parliament before any of the key recommendations contained therein, could be implemented by the National Insurance Scheme.

4. The scheme’s ability to “improve its capacity to collect contributions from delinquent employers and Self-Employed Persons” is dependant on a number of factors and involves a number of actors.  For instance, employees can play a role by assisting NIS with information about such employers.  The general members of the public can also aid NIS in this regard.
It is very sad to state that while there are a few employees who are innocent in this matter, there are others who collude with their employers to defraud the scheme.

These said employees may eventually disclose information to NIS when the time comes for them to receive a benefit.  NIS is appealing to employees to desist from such a practice.
5. It must be noted that the National Insurance Scheme is also eagerly awaiting the amendment of its legislation, especially since it will allow the organisation greater leverage in pursuing defaulters.
6. With reference to the classification of employment, the NIS Board and not management is still the only authorized body that is responsible for such classification.

Additionally, once an employee worked and had NIS deductions taken from his or her salary, NIS will do everything in its power to ensure that such an employee receives what he or she is rightfully entitled to.  This organisation is still committed to offering social protection in spite of the many challenges we have encountered along the way.

7. The issues of contributions and providing accurate contribution statements are still on the priority list of NIS.
But again, the organisation is hindered in this process by non-co-operative employers and insured persons who still continue to provide us with inaccurate and sometimes insufficient information.  Again, we request your co-operation as we seek to collect accurate information via electronic submission of data.

As the Publicity and Public Relations Officer (ag) I am again taking this opportunity to inform employers and representatives of our open door policy.  The National Insurance Scheme is always willing to visit your place of business to speak to your employees about NIS’s obligation to them and their role in the entire process.
Yours faithfully,
Dianne Lewis Baxter
Publicity and Public
Relations Officer (ag)