Dear Editor,

In response to Mr. Joel Ramdeen’s  letter appearing in the Stabroek News dated October 3, 2009, please be advised that Claims for Sickness Benefit were submitted for the Insured Person as stated.

However, these claims were disallowed under National Insurance & Social Security (Benefits) Regulation 23 which states that:-

“Sickness Benefit shall be payable only if the Insured Person, had been in and paid contributions for Insurable Employment during at least eight contribution weeks in the period of thirteen contribution weeks immediately preceding the contribution week  in which the first day of the continuous period of incapacity for work occurred”.

With regards to outstanding contributions, please be advised that the Insured Person’s contributions were indeed paid but not in a timely manner.  The Regulation 8 (1) states: “For the purpose of any right to Sickness Benefit or Maternity Benefit, a Contribution paid after the due date shall, in determining whether the relevant Contribution Conditions are satisfied as respects the number of Contributions paid in respect of the period between entry into insurance and the day for which the Benefit is claimed, be treated for the purpose of the right to any such Benefit in respect of any day before the date on which payment of the Contribution is made, as not paid”.  We wish to advise the claimant that he has the right to appeal the decision of the National Insurance Scheme.

Please feel free to contact the Public Relations Unit on telephone #227-3461 or 227-6851 should you require additional information.

Yours faithfully,
Dianne Lewis Baxter
Publicity & Public
Relations Officer