No response, no relief — until ‘Tell Claudienne’ intervenes in NIS pension case
Dear Claudienne,
I live in Florida. Last year I submitted an NIS application form with the relevant documentation to get my NIS retirement benefit. I have been calling and emailing the Ripon Road, St Andrew, NIS office since then for a status update to no avail. Mind you, the whole process of sending the originals via DHL to their office and submitting everything correctly all the way from overseas was a whole other ball game. Finally, they approved the application and document submission.
Sad to say, living overseas and trying to contact a government office in Jamaica is one of the most stressful experiences I’ve ever encountered. No one picks up the phone at the NIS office and nobody responds to emails. With the concern of having my sensitive information compromised I can’t even entrust anyone to follow up on my behalf.
I am being stressed out by the lack of communication from the NIS office. I’ve reached an age now where my health is being monitored and I need the NIS retirement benefit due to me to assist me to keep up with my medical expenses.
The non-response from the NIS is adding to my health problems.
Please help me!
AO
Dear AO
On July 1, 2025, the Tell Claudienne column contacted the director of the NIS about your concerns. On July 2, 2025 the column received an email from the NIS director that stated the following:
“Thank you for bringing this matter to the attention of the NIS. AO will be contacted by an officer to address his concern.”
On the afternoon of July 2, 2025, the Tell Claudienne column received the following WhatsApp message from your wife:
“I just want to tell you a big THANK YOU on behalf of my husband and me. I got a call from a Mr K E at the NIS office a few minutes ago then subsequently a detailed email from him. My husband’s first pension payment has already been deposited to our bank account. My husband was discharged this afternoon from the hospital then transferred to rehab to get his strength back. He will be immensely ecstatic to hear the good news. I can’t wait to tell him when he wakes up. God bless you.”
We wish you all the best.
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