Dear Editor,
I wish to commend President Irfaan Ali, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, and the entire cabinet for their aggressive efforts to improve the lives of the Guyanese people. I share these remarks in light of Senior Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh’s recent undertaking to journey the length and breadth of our beloved country in various outreaches to speak with, and listen to those who have issues concerning NIS. The lack of NIS benefits to contributors when they need them harms workers, with many of them resorting to the streets in their senior years due to their inability to support themselves. Some persons even suffer from depression and frustration as a result of the bitter realization that they have toiled all their lives and now, when it is time for them to get back something, they are devoid of the benefits to which they are legally entitled. This is made even more painful by the fact that families, regrettably in current times, expel these persons who do not have any sort of money to augment the family’s financial circumstances. Additionally, it should come as no surprise that many of the workers rely heavily on government assistance programs to make ends meet. This, I feel, places an unfair burden on the government’s safety net programs. It is tragic when employers maliciously forsake workers in their golden years, expecting that the government would spring to their aid. Not everyone realizes this but when NIS contributors are cheated out of their benefits, not only do they and their families suffer, but the government suffers as well. In this case, the government is obligated to provide more funding for social welfare programs in order to cover the gaps left by employers. This heinous crime may even have an effect on the NIS’s balance sheet and ability to deliver services and collect payments on time, placing the NIS in jeopardy of bankruptcy. This is unfair to the NIS, while these unscrupulous employers profit at the expense of their employees. I implore Minister Singh to look into this matter. Examine if workers are receiving the NIS benefits to which they are entitled. Further, I wish to reiterate that this writer advocates for stricter laws that would punish employers who steal their employees’ NIS. I, Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan, believe that no company should be allowed to obtain a competitive edge by defrauding its workforce. A business should not exist if it cannot succeed without breaching the law. Consequently, these fraudulent companies must be blacklisted!
Sincerely,
Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan Snr.
