Dear Editor,
I am a 79-year-old pensioner who, in order to minimise the opportunity to contract Covid-19 or its mutated variants, applied, in January 2021, to the NIS requesting that my pension be paid into my Bank Account. I am writing this letter to illustrate the lack of concern/empathy from the Management of the NIS.
I was advised that the Pension Payment into my Bank Chequing Account would commence in April 2021. Unfortunately, due to some persistent medical issues, it became necessary for me to seek attention overseas – not at the expense of the NIS. As a consequence, I neglected to check the state of my account. However, as is required, I submitted my Life Certificate for July 2021 and, on returning to Guyana at the end of December 2021, I submitted my Life Certificate for January 2022. Fortunately, the member of NIS staff, who processed my Life Certificate, mentioned that my Pension was not being paid to the Bank because the Bank did not recognise the Account Number used on the Payment Voucher from the NIS. I asked who in the NIS I should speak to, in order to ascertain what needed to be done to correct this situation. I was given the telephone number for the Finance Manager and, as a consequence, made several calls to that number which was always busy. I, therefore, accessed the NIS Website and called the office of the CEO but once again, the phone numbers were either engaged or rang out. Even if I went to the always very crowded Head Office, I was uncertain who I should speak with.
Fortunately, at the beginning of February 2022, I was able to speak with a Considerate Individual for Assistance (CIA) who was able to ascertain the incorrect Bank Account Number that was used by the NIS on the Payment Voucher that was submitted to the Bank to initiate the Pension Payment in April 2021. I immediately contacted the Bank and asked that they write to the NIS giving the correct number for my Bank Account. This was done by the letter from the Bank, addressed to the NIS Pensions Officer, dated February 8th, 2022. Editor, the Application Form which I completed and submitted to the NIS asked for my home address, my land-line number, and my cell-phone number and e-mail address. The NIS, therefore, had all the information needed for them to contact me, when the Bank rejected their Payment Voucher, so that I could assist with ensuring that the matter was resolved. Yet, as of today’s date, a year after I was informed that the payment of my Pension into the Bank would commence, the Management of the NIS has not found it necessary or desirable to contact me.
Sincerely,
E. Lance Carberry, AA
