NIS focuses on reform as it celebrates 45 years

NIS focuses on reform as it celebrates 45 years

Dr. Roger Luncheon on Monday called on workers of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) to recommit to providing services of an impeccable standard to the people whom they serve, and to execute their duties in such a way so as not to expose the institution to criticisms and ridicule. He was at the time speaking in his capacity as Chairman of NIS’s Board at a ceremony in commemoration of the scheme’s 45th anniversary.

Speaking of NIS’s public image, Dr. Luncheon said that the scheme like many other organisations has not escaped unscathed from the proclivity of some sections of society to tear down and ridicule.

“It is our 45th year and there is so much for us to be proud of, but at the end of the day we have to be careful to safeguarding the honour, integrity and image of this scheme and not be adopting reckless approaches that would threaten the very image that has so laboriously been established through the efforts over the decades of so many people and organisations,” Dr. Luncheon said.

            He noted that NIS must be able to clearly identify what it has accomplished over the years as well as where it has fallen short. This he said, is only on the basis of this type of individual and collective organisational self-assessment that the scheme will be able to move forward and continue to improve.

            “Armed with what we have accomplished, we must have the strength of character to confront the areas of weaknesses where we have to recognised that we can and must do better …45 years of accomplishments means that we can solve with problems, but we have to identify them as such,” Dr. Luncheon said.

            NIS collects over $1B per month in contributions and spends a similar amount in the payment of benefits. The Chairman noted that very few institutions in Guyana could boast of conducting financial activities of this scale.

            He called on management and staff to strengthen their resolve to continue to move the work of the scheme forward in the same steadfast way it has been promoted over the past years.

            Over the 45 years, NIS has moved from a level of unsophistication to expanding its services and making significant strides in the process of technology application. Dr. Luncheon said that going forward into the future, the focus must be on preserving the scheme and ensuring its financial viability.

             “This is an eternal obligation on successive management, board and generations of Guyanese…we have to invest in the future of this nation to ensure the future of the NIS and to bring on board the income that would allow us who contribute this year to ensure that as pensioners years from now, we have something to look forward to,” the Chairman said.

            Going forward too, steps will be taken to reform the legislation and statutes that govern the scheme so as to open up broader vistas that would allow for it to address the issue of workers’ social security in the most comprehensive of ways. Dr. Luncheon added that legislative interventions will ensure that the scheme remains relevant.

Meanwhile, NIS’s General Manager, Doreen Nelson said that the scheme continues to strive to meet its commitment to the workforce in accordance with its mission statement and provide the social security required at this time.

Tasked with ensuring the registration of workers, the receipt of contributions and the payment of benefits, NIS has, over the past 45 years, registered over 27,700 employers, 660,000 employed persons and 29, 900 self-employed persons.

However, Nelson explained only approximately 16 percent of the employers, 18 percent employed persons and 29 percent of the people in the self-employed category are still active in 2014.

“The reduce number of active employees was influenced by the regionalising of public entities, for example public schools that were registered with the scheme individually, are now the responsibility of the regional administration which is regarded as a single employer,” the General Manager explained.

NIS has 550 permanent members of staff at the 14 offices across the country. As is customary at the anniversary celebrations, bursaries were awarded to the children of the members of staff who performed outstandingly at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment examinations. (GINA)

Filed: 30th September 2014.

 

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