The Government is to revamp the social security and welfare services offered to Jamaicans, Labour and Social Security Minister Derrick Kellier said on Thursday.

“I believe that the time has come for us to go further in the design and implementation of a national comprehensive social protection scheme that builds on the success of the NIS (National Insurance Scheme),” said Kellier. “After 40 years, the NIS has undoubtedly worked well. However, it is high time that we take the issue of national insurance coverage further to embrace more areas of benefits for a wider cross section of the Jamaican people.

Arguing that the country needed to find a way to deal with things that have to do with medical insurance and employment benefits, Kellier explained that the new services would cover pensions, medical insurance during retirement, and the provision of unemployment benefits in cases where persons lose their jobs. This, he added, would be based on a system of contributory savings.

“Right now, we have various programmes, but some are ad hoc and we really want a formalised system that the entire Jamaican society can look forward to when it comes to the entire social safety net,” Kellier said.

Additionally, he said he would be depending on recommendations from stakeholders on how to enhance the services.

“I will be inviting the various stakeholders – employers, other private sector groups, the trade unions and others, to consider this proposal and to come up with recommendations,” he said. “We want their recommendations to stimulate a national dialogue to inform the final design and implementation of the scheme.