EDITOR, The Tribune.

NIB - National Insult to Bahamians

“Through political strategy, they keep us hungry.” - Bob Marley

THANKS for allowing me space in your valuable newspaper to express my outrage at the National Insurance pension scheme.

After the better part of 40 years employment, I was retired last year. On September 1, I reported to the National Insurance office to verify that I was still alive.

That week, my worst fears were further confirmed. All I have to look forward to from National Insurance is $400 per month. How National Insurance expects me to live on $400 per month is beyond me.

According to National Insurance, that is what their records show that I am entitled to. I am not convinced that they are correct, especially since there is no way of independently verifying their records.

The proponents of National Insurance promoted it as the best thing that could ever happen for Bahamians when they retire. Was I deceived! Call me greedy, but $400 per month after nearly 40 years of employment is nothing short of insulting.

Even persons who have not contributed to National Insurance are getting more than $400, I am informed.
In one fell swoop, I am cast so far below the poverty line, all I could say is thank God for breadfruit, guineps, scarlet plums, dillies and bananas.

On $400, I might as well take up residence in the bushes because at a rock bottom minimum, $400 can’t even take care of the bills which do not include food.

“No chains around my feet yet I’m not free (Marley),” because on $400 I would not be able to afford to travel from settlement to settlement much less from Long Island anywhere else. So what the system expects me to do?

I am not seeking any sympathy here. I simply want to bring to the attention of the all too passive, laid-back, erryting-cool Bahamians a matter that needs their urgent attention. What in the hell has happened to all the National Insurance money collected on our behalf?!

The National Insurance Board (NIB) always finds reasons to increase the premiums which are deducted off the top from our salaries, and all kind of excuses to decrease the benefits. Bahamians, the beneficiaries, ought not allow that to continue without proper accountability.

When I first brought my concerns to the attention of National Insurance, their response was for me to authorise them to pursue my former employers for back contributions.

I flatly refused. All my employers were good to me and I am not going to be a part of chasing them down at this late stage for National Insurance contributions which the NIB had the obligation of ensuring were collected on my behalf. So, if there are discrepancies with respect to my benefits, then the NIB was derelict in its duty.

I am led to believe that all that money sitting there in the National Insurance Fund, accruing interest on behalf of Bahamians for when they retire, has been too much a temptation for our money-starved government, PLP and FNM administrations, to bear.

The record shows that the government has been “borrowing” from the National Insurance Fund, hundreds of millions, perhaps in the billions, of dollars for various programmes and projects and to pay off debt, but that money, I am told, has never been repaid.

This borders on insane when it is realised that politicians do things solely with winning elections in mind.

The general well being of the nation is not a priority for politicians and their cronies.

No one with whom I have spoken expressed any kind of confidence in the National Insurance scheme. They all considered it a national rip-off.
I too am convinced that something is very wrong.

Bahamians must demand a proper accounting of our National Insurance money before we go for our benefits one day and find that there is none. Remember Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm story, The Cat and the Mouse - Top-Off, Half-D7The NIB plan in place now is nothing but a National Insult to Bahamians!

GLADSTONE THURSTON

Deadman’s Cay,

Long Island Bahamas,

September 4, 2014.

(A business submits a list of its employees on the NIB Form C-10 stating the NIB contributions owed for each of them. At the end of every month the staff list is totalled with what is owed NIB, a cheque for the total is attached to the C-10 form and both are submitted to National Insurance. National Insurance then stamps the C-10 form confirming that the total has been paid by the employer. However, there is no confirmation that NIB has allocated the various amounts to each employee.

(A few years ago a question about unemployment benefits arose. National Insurance then went to certain businesses to check on NIB payments for staff.

(We know of one business during that period that discovered on an inspection that although it had paid all of its staffs’ contributions, NIB had failed to credit each employee’s account with the payment the employer had made on his/her behalf. — Ed).