Dear Claudienne,

I saw where you helped someone and maybe you can help my sister who was a maths teacher and retired 17 years ago. In February 2024, my sister was told by the Accountant General’s Department that the lump sum would be paid at the end of May 2024, and that thereafter she would receive the monthly pension.

To date, she has not received the lump sum but has received the monthly pension for July, August and September 2024 in her local account at the BNS Junction, St Elizabeth branch.

Is it that they don’t have money to pay the lump sum?

The Accountant General’s Department has given us several explanations for why the lump sum payment has not been put in her account. We have been given explanations such as:

1) “The money was sent to her account and it was returned by BNS.

2) Oh, the error is on our part and we will rectify it.”

In July they said that they did a change in their accounting system and it would be lodged to her account However, the lump sum was not lodged to her account.

Every week we get the same excuse —“The Director has signed it off and is waiting on other approvals. It will be in the account this week.”

On September 9, my sister was 77 years old and has to be undergoing dialysis on a regular basis in Florida. She needs the money badly.

We would appreciate your help.

HL

Dear HL,

Tell Claudienne conveyed your concerns to the Accountant General’s Department and was informed on October 11, 2024 that the re-upload of your sister’s one-off payment would be done on October 11, 2024 to her Scotia account. “The monies should reflect by Tuesday, October 15, 2024 the latest,” the Accountant General’s Department stated.

On Monday, October 14,2024, Tell Claudienne received the following message from you:

“Good morning.

Just to say on behalf of my sister, many thanks for what you did in allowing her to get her pension. She saw it in her account yesterday. Much appreciated.”

We wish you all the best.

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 876-936-9436 or Cell/WhatsApp # 876-484-1349 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.