NIS to publish names of delinquent firms at end of grace period

In another 11 weeks, the grace period for delinquent companies in arrears to the National Insurance Services (NIS) will expire and everyone in St Vincent and the Grenadines will know who they are.

In an interview with SEARCHLIGHT, Deputy Executive Director of the NIS Mineva Glasgow stated that the companies who are delinquent in making their employees’ NIS payments would be sent a letter in which they have 14 days to respond and if no response is made, the NIS will take further steps by publishing their names in the local newspapers.{{more}}

According to her there is a 78% compliance rate from businesses throughout the country.

In October 2006, an article was published in the Searchlight newspaper where the Executive Director of the NIS Reginald Thomas pleaded with delinquent employers to do the right thing and submit their employees’ NIS contributions to save bringing disgrace to their company.

Despite the fact that they are keeping silent about the current arrears that various businesses owe to the NIS, last year the arrears amounted to a total of $1 million.

In spite of this, the organisation has big hopes for 2007, as they are hoping to improve their coverage of the citizens of this country by establishing various centres in the rural areas and in the Grenadines which will target mainly seamen, fishermen and taxi and omnibus drivers.

This year the E-Submit program that was introduced in 2006 will also be fully implemented and is designed to facilitate employers who want to make their contributions via the Internet. The NIS is also expecting to create a better relationship with their sister Regional and International social security institutions.