This NIS Confusion Could Be Painful

Dear Editor,
I have written many a letter in the same vein as that of Dr Jerry Jailall’s, which was featured in the Stabroek News on Sunday, 22nd June 2025. Dr Jerry Jailall wrote responses to my letters in the past, and many citizens were moved. I had written open letters to H.E. the President and also to the general public.
Personally, I believe the government of our great country has tried in some way or form to assist contributors of NIS who are suffering by giving the ten billion dollars to support the system in the form of a grant. It is noted, but this grant is not a pension, in my opinion, as well as most of the citizens in the county. It is understood that it does not solve the problem. It may help those of the lower contributory levels. However, those who would have contributed 700-749; it does little to no help for them, in my opinion. Many people in this country are in pain; they are in pain particularly because they cannot draw a pension, and they will have to live for the rest of their lives hand to mouth when the few hundred thousand dollars are finished. You may also recall the general public and Excellency my letter dated January 28th, 2023, in particular (featured in the Kaieteur News), which I believe moved you all and also moved the government.
In addition to letters to the media, I also did several readings and discussions on “IN THE RAW” on my PEOPLE’S FREE MEDIA. However, I am extremely disappointed with the way it was addressed. Therefore, I will once again explain a case in point with a relative of mine, hoping this will touch the heart of the government, particularly Excellency the President Irfaan Ali, VP Jagdeo, PM Mark Phillips, and the entire cabinet to understand what is happening here with this grant. In the case of this lady, whose name is Umawattie Singh. NIS was offering her a settlement of Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars. Then, Excellency, the Government of Guyana, then came your offer; in that case, she would be getting less than what NIS offered her.
She is insisting she is entitled to her full pension with back pay. Now look at this. She is an almost-crawling old woman on a pavement, not having any kind of schooling but knowing and understanding the importance of a pension as a fruit vendor. She registered for NIS, and that needs to be applauded. That person needs to be used as an example to tell all Guyanese who are vendors and such like how they can get a pension by making the sacrifice to enjoy their old age. Today she is in pain and depression because that seven hundred & forty thousand dollars is more like being cheated. Mr President, I am repeating she was also offered a refund of her excess payment, yes, excess payment! NIS offered her the sum of eight hundred thousand dollars, and you, through your grant, are offering seven hundred & forty thousand dollars.
I wrote in the print media as well as shared my very concerns on the matter on social media. Why give the people less if they are entitled to more? Or why not give the full pension? She paid seven hundred and forty-nine contributions. I repeat seven hundred and forty-nine contributions, and she was misled by NIS; I repeat, she was misled by NIS, Mr President, Government of Guyana. She was misled by NIS, and I am repeating for emphasis. Her intention was so good that she paid over thirty extra contributions! When she went in to get her pension, they calculated her contributions and told her she was short one contribution. I am of the opinion that I saw in the media when the president was announcing this grant that it is catering for the full sum up to seven hundred and forty-nine contributions. Can you believe this, Mr President? She was short of one, so they offered her a grant of eight hundred thousand dollars with the refund of the overpayment. They misled her, and in between, they were not sending her reminders. Because she is self-employed, such ridiculous and archaic inhumane laws exist in a supposed liberated country like ours, with a president like you, Dr Irfaan Ali. This should have never happened, and so she, like many others, should be able to get their pensions. The ridiculousness of the law is that self-employed persons cannot pay to make up for the few they might have erred/missed paying.
It is my firm view that this grant that the government is giving to the contributors of NIS, which is less than the grant that they would have collected from NIS, should be combined with the NIS grant. What I am saying is that the NIS grant, like in the case of my relative, the eight hundred thousand dollars should be combined with the seven hundred and forty thousand dollars.
I had suggested, Mr President, the oil belongs to us, not to Exxon! Not to contractors; it belongs to the people of Guyana. In that recommendation or suggestion, I said to give one oil lift to the NIS (or ½ or 1/3) to ensure that we, the people, can benefit and enjoy some life, especially the pensioners.
As I said, Mr President, you and your government in such a legal way could win the elections for generations, but you need to fix this NIS I repeat, Mr President, you need to make a decision and fix this NIS as a human being and as president. You are President Irfaan Ali, a human being! You are a gentleman, you are a scholar, and you have a cabinet comprising scholars. As I end, I ask you to listen to Dr Jerry Jailall and Christopher Ram (I have not seen Mr Ram’s letter) and those that I have written over the decades to fix this NIS quickly; time is upon us, Mr President. You will win the election, but you want to take this election with a historical landslide. Fix the NIS problem, sir. Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali.

Sincerely,
Hajji Dr Roshan Khan