Businesses, individuals encouraged to make NIS contributions

 

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Pearnel Charles, Jr. is encouraging businesses and individuals to contribute to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS). 

 

The NIS is a compulsory contributory funded social security scheme, covering all employed persons in Jamaica, offering financial protection to the worker and his family against the loss of income arising from injury, incapacity, retirement, and death of the insured. 

 

Minister Charles says the ability of the NIS to grant increases is dependent on how well it does. For this to happen, he says, entities and self-employed individuals need to make timely payments.

 

"From micro to small, medium to large enterprises, big corporations to one man or one woman operations, we all have a role to play. Pay up, take care of the fund, and the fund will take care of you. It is our collective responsibility to invest in today by making our contributions when they are due, so that we can build a stronger, more secure tomorrow for every single Jamaican," urged the minister, who was speaking at the National Insurance Scheme's 59th Anniversary Church Service.

 

While acknowledging that the Social Security Ministry continues to have challenges with life certificates, Minister Charles said a more efficient system is being created.

 

"Pensioners will have more convenient options for completing their life certificates. Right now it is a task, a serious problem. And we are working with eGOV, which is now called ICTA, and we are going to very soon be able to use an electronic device, such as your smartphone, and you just put it up. You press the 'AmAlive' mobile app, it shows your face, you go click, it says yes, and then it lets you in. And you don't have to write up a life certificate and travel and all of that. Just with that one click, you are going to be able to have access so that you can use that phone or tablet or laptop. It is going to replace the traditional paper based on the life certificate now," he outlined.