(Trinidad Express) A single phone call on Thursday from the Express corrected a 37 year-old mistake that had denied a 102-year-old man his pension payments. Bridgemohan Jaimungal, who celebrates another birthday today, never received a National Insurance System (NIS) pension although he has been registered since 1972.

It turned out that because his first name was mistakenly recorded as his last name at the National Insurance Board (NIB), he was never identified as having paid towards his retirement benefit.

Jaimungal may be eligible for a lump sum payment that may mean more money than he has ever seen in his very long life.

Jaimungal, of Soledad Road, Claxton Bay, spent the past four decades surviving on a State grant, cared for by his son, Thickchand Jaimungal. An official at the NIS Department, Couva, told the Express that although there is a stipulated timeframe in which claims should be made, Jaimungal should be eligible for retroactive payments because his inability to claim originated from an internal error.

The type of payment he receives, the official said, will be determined when Jaimungal visits the NIB office. Jaimungal’s family expressed gratitude for the intervention that may help the centenarian.

Thickchand Jaimungal said he had been trying to get his father’s NIS number for some time now, but was told that his father “was not on the system”.

Jaimungal and his wife, who died three years ago, worked at Forres Park sugar estate before the formation of Caroni (1975) Ltd. He started as a cane farmer and became a planter.
They had eight children.

Jaimungal said his father was strong, with a good memory, and health.