Wales estate employees for court again over obstruction of NIS officer

Two employees of the Wales Estate of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) who were charged in relation to obstructing an NIS officer in the conduct of his duties are expected to make another appearance at the Wales Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.

The duo, Doris Williams and a male whose name was given as Kumar, were placed on $20,000 bail each after they appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Wales Court.

Particulars of the charge stated that the duo obstructed an Inspector of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) from carrying out his duties on March 2 at the Wales Sugar Estate. They were represented by attorney Fazil Azeez.

Stabroek News had reported that on March 2 the NIS inspector who is attached to the Klien/Pouderoyen offices of the insurance scheme was evicted from the Wales Estate compound while attempting to uplift workers’ records.

The man obtained the information but it was subsequently “wrestled away” from him as he attempted to leave the compound. He was later put out of the area by security personnel.

The NIS stated subsequently in a release that an inspector in the execution of his duties has the power to enter at all reasonable times any premises or place where he has reasonable grounds for believing that persons are employed in a trade.

The employer or his servants or agents shall furnish to an Inspector all such information and produce for inspection all such documents that he may require for the purpose of ascertaining whether contributions are or have been payable or have been duly paid by and in respect of any person. And the Inspector if he considers it necessary may, make copies of or extract from, the documents so produced, and for that purpose he shall have the power to take possession of the documents.

To delay or obstruct an Inspector in the exercise of his power described above is an offence for which summary proceedings may be instituted under the National Insurance and Social Security Act Chapter 36:01.