Guyana Observer News

Paying NIS has become so much riskier

Friday, 06 March 2009

Peter R. Ramsaroop, MBA
Chairman, Vision Guyana

There are serious issues concerning hundreds of thousands of Guyanese contributors to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).   Until we get audited answers, we cannot stop with this issue.
When our precious dollars are squandered in projects such as the Berbice Bridge with no measurable returns while others receive 11 per cent based on the excessive high tolls, we must continue to pressure the government to come clean to the population. Dr. Roger Luncheon notified the nation that the government invested and potentially lost over six billion dollars of our NIS money in CLICO. Where else did they invest our money and why has so much also disappeared?
Over the last four months, I have received numerous calls and visits to my office where many people have not been paid their NIS benefits.    What is even sadder, many are pensioners that have had to go back and forth for years without any resolution, some for as long as thirteen years.
Many workers have complained that the NIS office has lost records and does not show any payments from their employers. Many of these employers are state-run agencies like GuySuCo, and others.
I strongly believe that if all employees should tell their employers not to pay any NIS until the government comes clean on where our money is, some would suffer but the government would take notice.
In addition, the opposition should quit parliament and the Trade Unions must get involved. This is the most serious of the economic crises we are facing. I would advise a court injunction to support this initiative.   This crisis will be compounded as local companies start to lay off workers.

OVERVIEW:

INVESTIGATION:
There must be an independent investigation in the entire tax and NIS collection system.   Billions of dollars are disappearing from the Government coffers and there is no accountability to the nation. This has been validated in the Auditor General Report and many international reports.
The AFC has called for a full investigation into the entire CLICO debacle. The conflict of interest and the lack of transparency is a great concern and we all support the call from the AFC to get this out in the open.
The Freedom of Information Act proposed by the AFC, must be passed immediately in Parliament.   We now know why this is one of the few governments around the world that has blocked such a legislation. They are afraid of what we will find out. In most countries, this Act is enabled to ensure transparency and accountability.

MEDIA:
I must comment on the despicable remarks by the PPP that the media is the new opposition. The fact that the two most read daily papers (KN & SN) are the most balanced in our nation, is why they are the most read, therefore if they were opposition, then we must conclude that most of the nation is against the government something I am inclined to agree with.
When last have you watched an NCN talk show programme and seen any opposition person as a guest? When last have you seen a talk show on NCN that allows the citizens to call in and ask questions? It is our taxpayers’ money that is keeping NCN and GINA afloat, yet it is only used for Government propaganda.
I strongly believe that the President is now paranoid that the walls are crumbing around the corruption and must now lash out at the media for reporting the truth.
The fear factor has started in the shutting down of the AFC programme on Channel 6 and at least one blog site.
By the way, blog sites are allowed to say whatever they want around the world, it is up to the reader on the internet not to get involved if it is offensive.    When a government tries to shut down a key opposition party’s right to free speech, it is going too far.
The Guyana Times published an article on me that they copied from a blog and failed to verify the accuracy. That is what you call incompetent reporting.
Christopher Ram has conducted some of the best budget and financial analysis in this nation. For the PPP to blast his name at the memorial service of Dr. Jagan, tells us how low they have gotten.
Instead of remembering the best of Dr. Jagan, they spend precious time blasting the media and key contributors to our nation’s progress.

CONCLUSION:
Fast forward to when you are over sixty years and realize that your pension money will not be there when you need it the most because of the poor financial decisions being made by the PPP government of today.
How would you feel? How are your parents and grandparents feeling today when they cannot get their pension. Imagine if you are injured and need your NIS benefits.
We all need to get involved in asking for accountability and transparency.   If you ask the person next to you if they know of anyone that has not been able to get their rightful NIS money, I am sure they will know someone.
Let us all become opposition until the Government comes clean on how they are managing our precious hard earned dollars.   Until next time “Roop”.

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