Gov’t not current with workers’ NIS contributions

The government is not current with its payment of contributions to the National Insurance Services for some public service workers.

“The contribution to the NIS will be up to date when we pass the law,” Gonsalves told I-Witness News on Monday in reference to a resolution that will be brought to Parliament today.

“We have had some non-payment but we are putting all the processes in place. You will hear me tomorrow (today) in Parliament fully,” he said.

“First of all, the government is the guarantor for all of NIS debts. Debts of the government to the NIS is not part of the public debt, but the NIS debts are part of the public debt, and all that we are doing here is to make sure that every single month, because we are putting it as a — we are issuing instruments for arrears, is to make sure that the arrears and interest on the money; to strengthen them, rather than weaken them,” he said.

Gonsalves is expected to table in Parliament today a resolution proposing that the Government enter into agreement with the National Insurance Board to raise an EC$15 million loan from the National Insurance Fund to liquidate outstanding contributions owed by the Government to the National Insurance Fund.