Dear Editor,
The situation at Kwakwani is not new. It has only deteriorated over the past several years. It is a glaring example of contempt by a foreign employer, not only of its employees, but moreso citizens of a country whose administrations have exhibited chronic decision-making weaknesses, albeit without any exhibition of embarrassment.
One reason the current confrontation between workers, union on the one hand, and employer on the other is critical at this particular juncture, is that, apart from exposing the lack of assertiveness and competence of an agency that is appropriately seen to be ‘in labour’, this imbroglio sets an alarming example for the new wave of foreign employers to emulate.
In the midst of such embarrassing indecisiveness is the counter-productive intervention of the police force (at a time of political campaigning). What is the message being sent to people, but that they are more than just geographically isolated?
How can it not be understood that it is in our governance sovereignty that is being subverted?
A decade or more ago there was an internationally funded consultancy aimed at upgrading Guyana’s competitiveness in attracting new companies. The component agencies were Go-Invest, the GRA, the Deeds Registry Authority and, interestingly, the NIS. The objective was to first of all ensure clearance of the incoming investors by Go-Invest, who would arrange for examination by the GRA only after whose approval could the company be legally registered by the Deeds Registry Authority. The project envisioned that this process would be facilitated by a specially designed technological programme that would inter-connect these agencies.
More imaginatively however, the process included sequential reference to the NIS to inform that management about the prospective employer (and the number of related employees) with whom the former should engage for registration.
Unsurprisingly this creative exercise was never fully implemented. It must be of urgent interest therefore how new and particularly foreign employers, are now engaged by, and committed to, honouring their NIS commitments. One is uncertain as to what extent the Office of the Auditor General is involved.
Not unrelated was a serious attempt by the previous administration to, amongst others, upgrade the registration of employees with the NIS to the extent that a large committee was established to review and report on strengths and weaknesses of its administration. One effort involved a visit to learn of the management of the counterpart agency in Barbados, which turned out to be a very informative experience.
One critical take-away was the establishment of a computerized system into which both prospective and actual new employee could insert his/ her own employment data for NIS benefits purposes. That agency would then proactively follow up with relevant employer to ensure registration. This was done through its legal department, which at the time was manned impressively by as many as five lawyers.
All the above is to bring to the attention of all the stakeholders that, apart from the so-called benefits from oil and gas, the health of the nation, including of citizens of Kwakwani, needs to be sustained.
Upgrading of the capacity of our National Insurance Scheme is critical in the circumstances. This must also include an assertive legal component.
Yours faithfully,
E.B. John
