Dear Claudienne,

In the early part of 2013 I started a six-week course at the University of the West Indies (UWI) off-campus site in Port Antonio. The title of the course was Supervisory Management. In June of the said year I went abroad and missed the mid-semester exam. Prior to my leaving, the lecturer was informed that I would miss the examination. However, when I returned from the overseas trip I completed the course and did the final exam.

On December 9, 2013, I received a phone call that informed me that the certificates had arrived, but mine was tagged ‘incomplete distinction’. I was asked to do the mid-semester exam with the current cohort on December 10, which I did.

My issue is that it is now March 30, 2015, and I am yet to receive my certificate. There appears to be no urgency to issue my certificate. I am only being told that the off-campus site just has to wait until they get it from Kingston.

I find it very frustrating to be kept waiting indefinitely.

I would appreciate any assistance you might be able to provide.

SK

Dear SK

Tell Claudienne spoke to the manager of the Port Antonio off-campus site of the UWI and forwarded your e-mail outlining your complaint to him.

The manager immediately informed the head of the Jamaica Eastern Region of the UWI Open Campus of your concerns.

We see that the head of the UWI Eastern Region Open Campus forwarded to you the e-mail that she sent out to administrative personnel to have your complaint addressed.

The e-mail reads as follows:

“Please see email from SK who did the supervisory management course at Port Antonio in 2013. It is quite unfortunate that she has still not received her certificate and without any clear explanation.

I am therefore asking that you check our records (marksheet) for the period December 2013 for SK’s grade. If you need further information please contact (the manager of the Pt Antonio off- campus site) or SK. When you have done your investigations, please submit for the final processing of her certificate.

SK was assured that she would receive her certificate no later than April 10. I am trusting that you will assist me in getting this done before the Easter break, that the relevant signatures can be added and the certificate couriered to her in time to meet the deadline.”

Tell Claudienne spoke to the head of the Jamaica Eastern Region on Tuesday and she said that she had received your certificate. She apologised for the delay in your getting it and promised that it would be delivered to you by courier service.

Good luck.

Dear Claudienne,

I worked as a ward assistant at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital from 1982-2013, approximmately 31 years and 8 days of unbroken service to the Government of Jamaica. I was appointed in my post.

After I retired in January 2013, I visited the Accounts Department at the KPH in preparation for retirement, but was informed that the department was unable to locate records for the years 1986, 1988 and 1989, which would show that I paid NIS and NHT contributions for those three years.

I have pay slips which prove that I was in active employment for those years, but in spite of this the accounts department has indicated that there is nothing they can do. This would mean that I would lose benefits for these three years. This cannot be right.

I would appreciate your help to have my concerns addressed.

EJC

Dear EJC

We asked the CEO of the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) to investigate your complaint. We note that she has spoken to you and requested that you take the pay slips for the missing years to her. She said that the accounts department would retrieve the information for the missing years from the pay slips.

Tell Claudienne also asked the NIS to clarify whether the three years for which your NIS contributions cannot be found would affect your pension benefits. The NIS spokesperson has assured us that based on how the benefits are calculated, because the missing contributions were for “those earlier years,” your pension benefits will not be affected. You will not lose any benefits, the NIS spokesperson said.

Good luck.

Have a problem with a store, utility or company? Telephone 936-9436 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail: edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.