Small businesses cry foul over clampdown on Social Security defaulters
Shame on NDP Govt.
Several operators of small businesses in the Virgin Islands are crying shame on the National Democratic Party (NDP) government as they claim they are being unfair and inconsiderate in their dealings. This is primarily because they have indicated that they are prepared to take them to court for defaulting on Social Security. Most of the businesses said government also owes them money for various services rendered.
This is a matter of concern to more than six entrepreneurs who spoke at liberty on this matter but have asked not to be named for the usual fear of victimisation. Several others were contacted by the Virgin Islands News Online to ascertain the full extent of this and while they acknowledged they were served letters and feel unjustly treated they declined to comment further.
One businessman said he was shocked "out of his socks" when he received a letter from the Social Security Board recently indicating that legal actions would be taken against him if he didn’t pay up on outstanding Social Security for his employees.
“Man that is nonsense. It not a year that I owe for, and the thing is the government that has thousands of dollars for me. That has me held up. I am a small fry and they pressuring me to take me to court for a couple of months of owing Social Security! What about them big fries that got thousands upon thousands for them, fight them down, not me,” the businessman related.
Treasury lies like horse trotting
According to the businessman, the letter he received stated he would have to face the court anytime after October 15, 2013. “If that is it I am going and will let the magistrate know that it is not that I don’t want to pay but I am not being paid so that I can pay. I pay myself from my business and it tough on me too, not because my Social Security is not being paid. I have to ration food for my family because the government is not paying me for the work I am doing for them,” he noted.
Another told this news site he is particularly worried because Treasury allegedly constantly lies to him when he calls to inquire about his payments. “Every Friday is another Friday. They lie like when horse trotting rather than telling you the straight truth about your money and that's what I have a problem with.”
He added, “It would be cool with me if they would say 'hey your payment would not be ready before another three weeks, a month or even two months', you would know how to budget yourself but no they lie and got you pushing around like fools. Government needs to come clean with us.”
Bitter end of the stick
One businessman at Virgin Gorda said he too was served. “I don’t deduct any money from my employees. If I tell them their salary is going to be $1,000 I pay them that in full without any deductions and commitment to paying their Social Security in full out of my pocket. And I explained that to Social Security. Now they want to take me to court. They are to target those people who deducting money from the employees and not paying it in. That is robbery and they are the ones they should have before the court.”
The man said government is being too hard on the smaller business while the larger ones are getting away with ‘cool water’. “They give them white folks all sorts of tax exemptions and all those benefits for coming here and setting up business and we the smaller ones have to be paying full duty for everything. We as BVIslanders are getting the bitter end of the stick,” he added.
I pay my employees' medical bills
A Jost Van Dyke businessman alleged that businesses on that sister island are constantly being pressured to pay up monies to the Social Security Board because the government is in a serious financial crisis and not wanting to come out and let the people know what is going on. “They need to come clean and tell us what is happening. This government is in financial crisis and they pressuring us, come clean, tell us the truth, let’s work as a people to help but we can’t if we don’t know,” he related in a very emotional tone of voice.
“I told them this so they will know who I am when they read your story. I don’t have to put my name, they will know and it’s likely that I might not get another contract, that’s the sad part of it but that man above is the one who I depend on.” The businessman, like others, said he has not been deducting for Social Security from his employees.
“Because I know the position I am in. The other day one of the men working with me got sick and because I know that I shorting on his Social Security, not by choice I must say, it’s because the government who I work for is not paying me, I made sure I took care of his medical expenses and while he had to be home for a few days I didn’t cut his pay for the period. And is somebody like me they want to take to court?”
The businessman said it hasn’t been more than a year that he fell behind on his Social Security obligations.
Take government to court for your money - Lawyer
Consulted by this news site, a local lawyer advised that if persons who are owed monies by the government have a course of action at their liberty. “Social Security Board is a separate entity from the Government so it wouldn’t be a justifiable reason to say that because government owes you that you did not pay social security,” advised the lawyer.
He said, however, in like manner those affected business persons should use their democratic right and file a charge in the court against the government. “That's the way it would be in the eyes of the law.” According to him, there are several options they can take but should seek legal advice.
Government in pocket – Employees feeling the final squeeze
A number of employees on the other hand have been complaining daily about their employers not paying in their Social Security contributions which they have deducted from their salaries. “It’s the big ones doing us this. They close to the government, they got the government in their pocket so we feeling the steam,” a frustrated employee told this news outfit.
Another said she was thrown out of her job because she had reported her employer to Labour. “That’s what happened to me. My boss owes social security more than $3,000 he had been deducting from me and because I went to labour he told me I got to leave the job. He do me that and is all over the place saying he advising people how to manage their monies, holding workshops, putting on conference and that's what he doing me and not me alone he doing that. If you talk to people that work for him (name provided) they would tell you the same. He ain’t paying and government not doing him anything,” she added.
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25 Responses to “Small businesses cry foul over clampdown on Social Security defaulters”
The Social Security department has a job to do and theyare doing there job. You people are just out of control and shamless. You want eveything from the system and don't want to contribute anything to it. Pay your fair share!
Yes why should greedy business people keep the SS contributions paid to them in good faith to pass on to the Government. The recent case allegedly involving a private security firm shows that this is no more than theft, plain and simple. This greed affects the very people who can least afford medical bills etc. A few more court cases are needed to focus minds.