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Many ineligible for COVID-19 assistance for not paying SS & NHI- Hon Wheatley

- Opposition Leader Hon Penn said Gov't should flex for certain persons
The Joshua J. Smith Building, which houses Social Security Board and National Health Insurance (NHI). Photo: VINO/File
Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), who has responsibility for Social Security, said many persons did not meet the eligibility criteria for government assistance because their contributions to Social Security, National Health Insurance (NHI) and Inland Revenue were lagging behind. Photo: GIS/File
Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), who has responsibility for Social Security, said many persons did not meet the eligibility criteria for government assistance because their contributions to Social Security, National Health Insurance (NHI) and Inland Revenue were lagging behind. Photo: GIS/File
Opposition Leader Honourable Marlon A. Penn (R8) said there were instances where the system needs to bend for those who really require the help. Photo: VINO/File
Opposition Leader Honourable Marlon A. Penn (R8) said there were instances where the system needs to bend for those who really require the help. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), who has responsibility for Social Security, said many persons did not meet the eligibility criteria for government assistance because their contributions to Social Security, National Health Insurance (NHI) and Inland Revenue were lagging behind.

Hon Wheatley made the remark during the Eighth Sitting of the Second Session of the Fourth House of Assembly (HoA) at the Save the Seed Energy Centre in Duff's Bottom, Tortola, on June 8, 2020.

He said: “What we found is that a lot of persons are not up to date which means they are disqualified from getting certain things, and we cannot ignore that reality.”

“I do not believe that persons are not paying these things or businesses because they don’t want to, the reality in the BVI is that we need to do more for businesses to ensure that they are viable and they can pay their overheads,” he added on the issue.

System should flex- Opp Leader

Opposition Leader Honourable Marlon A. Penn (R8) said; however, there were instances where the system needs to bend for those who really require the help.

He said there are persons whose employment were affected by the 2017 hurricanes to this day.

“I know persons who have gotten employment two weeks before the shutdown and are told that they don’t have any support because they don’t meet the eligibility. But, they are affected by COVID-19, so how are we going to support those persons? And it can’t be just through the district funds,” he remarked.

The Opposition Leader stated that there are other instances where employees’ contributions were not paid by their employers and are also being affected.

“These are real concerns, we have to figure out in a streamlined way to ensure that the people who are truly in need of the support, get the support,” he argued.

Background

As part of the Government’s $62.9 million economic stimulus package, Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said $10 million would go towards unemployment relief support.

At that time, he said it would be for persons who have been either laid off or placed on reduced working hours or days because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic affecting the globe.

He had said eligible persons would receive financial support for up to three months, and it would be on a case-by-case basis after persons submitted their supporting documents to the SSB, showing how they were affected by the virus.

19 Responses to “Many ineligible for COVID-19 assistance for not paying SS & NHI- Hon Wheatley”

  • Come on (10/06/2020, 10:31) Like (15) Dislike (5) Reply
    something always to good to be true. they must come up with something not to give.
  • lol (10/06/2020, 11:00) Like (20) Dislike (4) Reply
    Joke's on us! This was all a pretend help from the beginning! Stress you out and buy time with exorbitant forms and processes to either turn people off or justify the lengthy turn-around time. By the time anything really happens everyone will forget what COVID was even around.
  • True (10/06/2020, 11:00) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good comments Hon Penn
  • Hmm (10/06/2020, 11:08) Like (14) Dislike (4) Reply
    First of all the people need to know SS and insurance are scams. Our whole life from adults we contribute to those two many contribute died and gone never use social many pay while they have been working now lay off for few weeks and we are not eligible to receive assistance well sah.
  • We in trouble (10/06/2020, 12:10) Like (18) Dislike (0) Reply
    So long we have this problem since in the 80s With VIP...With NDP...These employers kept brreakng the law and nothing is been done... The employers have an obligation according to law to deduct employees contribution and pay it in...Yet 40 yrs later not one employer has been prosecuted... They only picking on the little innocent people.....
  • Hard time (10/06/2020, 12:32) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    social security take payments every 3 months if needed and people use this so they don;t have to stand in line same as NHI ITS ONLY NOW that we are told that payments need to be paid every month or you lose your benefits to NHI so now everyone furloughed are not entitled to NHI as its been 60 days so anyone who is not working since the shutdown will not be able to access benefits through no fault of their employer who paid up to date up till February when everything shutdown, so answer that question before you penalise and tell everyone they are not up to date.
  • Hard time (10/06/2020, 12:32) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    social security take payments every 3 months if needed and people use this so they don;t have to stand in line same as NHI ITS ONLY NOW that we are told that payments need to be paid every month or you lose your benefits to NHI so now everyone furloughed are not entitled to NHI as its been 60 days so anyone who is not working since the shutdown will not be able to access benefits through no fault of their employer who paid up to date up till February when everything shutdown, so answer that question before you penalise and tell everyone they are not up to date.
  • Diaspora (10/06/2020, 12:33) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Under the Social Security Act and National Health Insurance scheme, employers are required to deduct contributions from employees pay and match it and submit contributions to Social Security. If employers are deducting the contributions and not paying into Social Security, it is unadulterated fraud and should be investigated and appropriate action taken. Further, self-employed individuals are also required to pay Social Security and NHI contributions into Social Security.

    Employees are not responsible for the egregious and fraudulent behaviour of employers and should not be penalized for it. These bad, fraudulent actors are doing their employees a disservice, for failure to pay into Social Security and NHI can and will adversely impact social security and medical benefits.

    Moreover, government needs to take urgent, strong enforcement actions against delinquent employers, requiring them to pay arrears and make payments on time per the law(s) going forward.

    As such, otherwise qualified residents should receive the government assistance. Show some stones and hold the employers accountable and responsible for their bad behaviour, not the employees.

    Further, Social Security recipients should not be denied assistance because they are receiving social security benefits. The Covid-19 pandemic caused people to be laid off, furloughed or caused a reduction of work hours so their social security payments that they have earned should not be a metric for their not getting any assistance. This is a special circumstance. Social security granted government a grant so why social security setting the terms and conditions for distribution of the assistance?

  • uh (10/06/2020, 15:25) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I could tell u how all of a sodden d know who is ineligible boy I could tell u I bet some of their friends will get Mr minister please keep u eyes out there is a lot of scams in these days man to man is so unjust u don't know who to trust
  • priest (10/06/2020, 15:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Isn't it an offense for a person to receive money from another party on behalf of the Government and failed to pay that money as prescribed by law but used it to benefit him/herself or another? Why are these people [employers] allowed to commit that offense year after year without being prosecuted? Why was Br...n P..n prosecuted found guilty, fined, and lose his job then?
  • Challenger (10/06/2020, 17:43) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    this has been a problem for years. isnt is a criminal act when an employer decucts money from a pay packet for ss and nhi yet they dont pay it in to the system......this is nothing to do with the governmeny needing to help the businesses and " bend" a little because businesses arent viable.....they have deducted from the pay packet of their staff and they are beholden to pay that along with the employer contribution to the relevant office.
    the employer should ve held accountable...not bailed out !!
    ive said it for years to various ministers of government....make sure each and every business who holds a valid trade license obtains a letter of good standing EACH YEAR at their trade license renewal...without that letter....no trade licence should be issued and the business held accountable to pay and until they are up to date...no trade license.
    one other point...can the immigration bond..which is used for work permited staff and posted by the employer...be used to settle any shortfall of the contributions ?????
  • oh (10/06/2020, 19:24) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I shall see what the government is going to do about the delinquent employers. I urge everyone who knows that their employers collect social security ,tax ,NHI and don't pay it to report it to the police.it is theft . Because the employees should not be the suffered because of their employers badmindness.
  • disappointed (10/06/2020, 20:01) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    i am very disheartening how the ssb has handled the covid support program to help tose affected
    • @disappointed (11/06/2020, 00:37) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      You should be disappointed in the employers who are deducting benefits from their employee's salary but are not paying them to SSB or NHI. You should also be disappointed in the employers who are wilfully not contributing and their employees who willingly know and accept. You should also be disappointed in self employed persons who are not contributing either. SSB rightfully set policies for persons who want to utilize this government's assistance programme. The criteria can't be left nilly willy. Some people/employees know for years them ain't pay a cent and it was OK for them.
  • sad situation (11/06/2020, 02:49) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    For me its sad. I usually don't lag behind more than 2 months. In the beginning of March I had to make the decision of holding unto that money because I had a gut feeling the country would be on lockdown soon and business was already starting to slow down tremendously. I ended up spending all the money I had on food and supplies during the lockdown. Now I'm struggling to make up SS & NHI payments for January and February because business is slow. Rent & utilities for the business and my home still has to be paid for the lock down period. It's so hard for minimum wage workers & small businesses. Only the poor can relate. The saddest part is my payments have been up to date for over 15 years until this 2020 Covid-19 curse came along. I know there are many others with a story similar to mine. My faith in God is the only thing that keeps me going. I still have life, health & strength and for that I am thankful.
  • Mark (11/06/2020, 06:38) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I personally think that this stimulus and the amnesty program for BVI Electricity don't really want to help the people. I think they feel its something they should do because they don't want make it seems like they are not but they put so much things in place to disqualify people.
  • Public servant (11/06/2020, 12:17) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I think that everybody who is paying, NHI, Tax and Social Security should be able to received money . After all these years paying for the above mention. Everybody has been affected. Whether you still have a job or not. I think the government and Social Security can afford to pay all working citizens at least $1500.00- $2000.00 each for all the contributions they have paid after all these years.
  • Nationalist (13/06/2020, 21:45) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    There's over 3500 expatriate here and they seem to benefit more than we nationals since 2017 we've been feeling the pinch Wheatley your all for them wonder why look out for your own people first.they take our jobs involved in criminal activities you name it we will not sit idly by an let them take over this country
  • Local (15/06/2020, 15:06) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    my question is: expats living in the BVI for 4 years and only started pay social security as of last year ain't this person still need to pay his/her contribution from the time they enter to to BVI on permit?

    People are wining the government where they are getting someone just to sponsor them and they here here working doing different of jobs to makes a living without paying there NHI,SS AND TAX just because the person whom sponsor them only sponsored them and they are on there own.

    BVI NEED TO GET MORE STRICT WITH THE LAWS REASON TODAY SO MANY CANT GET FUNDS AND WANT PLAY BLAME THE PERSON SPONSORED THEM.


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