As a consequence of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has implemented a series of new measures including an alphabetized system for the distribution of pensions.
During visits to a few of the post offices in the city yesterday, Stabroek News observed that tents were in the compounds of a number of post offices to provide shelter to many of the senior citizens present so that they would not have to be crowded in line waiting to be served. In addition to this, chairs were strategically placed under the tents to provide seating and also avoid a clustering of the pensioners.
Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) Thalissa McClure told this newspaper that the systems were put in place in order to conform to guidelines set out by the Ministry of Public Health to combat the spread of COVID-19. “We have ensured that we sanitise persons that enter the post offices, we have also offered sinks since sanitisers have become a scarce commodity these days as well [and we also] ensure that persons maintain distance when they come into the post offices and we have the support of the police on hand so that persons can maintain a minimum of three feet in distance,” she said.
McClure also highlighted the complications that arose as there was crowding caused by the two types of pensions being paid simultaneously. “In terms of the turnout we found that there was a slightly larger turnout than last week when we began paying pension, and, if I’m to assume, I would say that was because we had two sets of pension payments happening at the same time,” she explained.
McClure noted that the main way to combat this problem is through the use of the alphabetical system to stagger the number of people that turn out to uplift their payments on a day-to-day basis. “What we have done, along with the Ministry of Social Protection and NIS, is to reduce the number of persons who would visit by regulating it through an alphabetical system,” she explained. The PRO explained that the management of this process and attempting to stem the spread of COVID-19 at the same time has “exacerbated” the problem.
McClure nonetheless expressed her confidence in the alphabetical system as she believes it is one of the ways to lessen the number of senior citizens present at post offices across the country.
McClure maintained that the GPOC continues to implore senior citizens to adhere to social distancing protocols advised by the Ministry of Public Health.
McClure emphasised that, despite what some persons think, the alphabetised system was not implemented to favour one group over the other, but to ensure that senior citizens are kept safe and as far away from the virus as possible. “Understand that this is not something that is being put in place to target anyone or to stop them from accessing their money…what we are trying to do is protect them in the best way possible,” she said.
In a release last week, the NIS assured that it “remains very cognisant” of the fact that the Scheme provides an essential service to its pensioners and beneficiaries and in order to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines for social distancing, a decision was taken to distribute pension payments in the alphabetical format below:
Pensioners with last names beginning with A – D on Monday, May 4
Pensioners with last names beginning with E-J on Wednesday, May 6
Pensioners with last names beginning with K-R on Thursday, May 7
Pensioners with last names beginning with S-Z on Friday, May 8.
In addition to this, the NIS encouraged pensioners to only visit the Head office at Brickdam if they are uplifting books. This can be done between 7:00hrs and 15:00hrs. NIS also informed that its cashiers at the Brickdam Office will be open and encashing vouchers during the pension week from 7:00hrs to 14:30hrs.
According to the NIS, pensioners who already have pension books in their possession and are only encashing vouchers can visit the Camp Street office or the closest NIS office from 8:00hrs to 14:30hrs.
The management of NIS also urges visitors to its offices to make use of the hand washing stations and sanitiser dispensers upon entering and leaving the compound and to adhere to seating arrangements which have been implemented, the release added.
