Dear Editor,

Recently, I had to do business at the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) office on Ripon Road and the Accountant General’s Department (AGD) office in New Kingston.

The latter was effortless, mainly due to the time of day, plus the waiting area was empty and there was a number system which worked. The NIS office, however, should be improved. It issues numbers, but there is no sign or announcement of which number is being serviced, and the workers seem overwhelmed by the chaos and confusion.

I had to confront an employee who walked by to complain about the long wait time and not hearing numbers being called. It was then that I was ushered into a room to meet an agent. Can’t these offices become digitalised, offering more services online instead of in person? Can’t supporting documents be uploaded with signed forms with proper controls for effective oversight?

I’ve been an advocate of linking Tax Registration Numbers (TRN) to all government services to improve how we do business with these agencies. A TRN should be able to flag deaths to stop pensions etcetera, and it should be linked to the NIS. What a waste of time to have to go to offices in person to deal with simple matters.

Another concern I have is: Why must a monthly pension end the day a person dies instead of the end of the month? Many countries end monthly pensions at the end of month of death. It must be an administrative burden to calculate the number of days after every death and calculate how much of a pension should be refunded. It must also be a task to go after each estate to ensure the funds are returned to the government.

I am sure many families have defaulted and not bothered to return the funds. A pension is an entitlement based on years of service of employment; paying the final month helps families with expenses and creates less administration across the board.

Over the years, many have commented about the quarterly life certificates which must be signed by a justice of the peace, doctor, or other designated officer and mailed in or dropped off in person in order for a pensioner to continue to receive payments. This is an archaic system which should be eliminated immediately.

A pension can be suspended abruptly if certificates are not received on time. Imagine the trauma to pensioners who rely on these payments if and when this happens. Also try to imagine elderly pensioners who live in remote rural areas, who are disabled, who are sick, or who don’t have the support to get quarterly certificates submitted.

We talk about modelling Jamaica after Singapore and Dubai, yet it is difficult to improve simple processes which can make life easier for the public and administrators. I urge Audrey Marks, minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for efficiency, innovation, and digital transformation, to review these processes immediately.

According to the 80:20 rule, 80 per cent of problems are due to 20 per cent of causes. Let us use this approach to fix problems by focusing on the root causes.

P Chin

chin_p@yahoo.com