Be more employee oriented – Min. Broomes urges NIS

DPI, Guyana, Monday, August 03, 2018

Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes today called on the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) to place more emphasis on the wellbeing of employees.

The minister’s call came in light of the numerous challenges employees encounter with the NIS as was highlighted during the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services.

Minister Broomes noted that having had firsthand experience dealing with the NIS during her tenure at Ministry of Labour, she understands the struggles employees face and recommended that NIS seek to correct this.

“I would like to recommend that based on all what is supposed to happen at NIS that you place more emphasis on the employee…You have to go to your employer and sometimes they (employees)have difficult ones (employers). There is a better relationship with the employer and NIS than with employee and that is an area I would want to recommend that you work on.”

Supporting her colleague, Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe spoke of the challenges hinterland residents also face with the NIS.

She related that often times when some of the problems of hinterland employees cannot be solved in the hinterland; they spend large sums to travel to the coast only to be greeted with delays.’ This matter she stressed must be treated with urgency.

“Sometimes they (hinterland employees) would come to Georgetown with limited money and time to spare and they have to run back and forth and no one gives them attention to assist them despite knowing how far they came from. I agree with Minister Broomes and we must deal with this issue urgently.”

In response, NIS General Manager, Holly Greaves noted that the concerns and recommendations have been accepted and committed to having it addressed as soon as possible. “We are going to look into having more interaction with the employee. NIS recently had an engagement with the new Toshao Council and we have a plan in place to work with the new Toshaos to see how we can assist, especially those who have to get benefits.”

At the end of the meeting, NIS was commended by both government and opposition Members of Parliament for a job well done in the past year despite the struggles.

Ranetta La Fleur

Image: Tejpaul Brigemohan