Companies not paying NHI should 'stop taking it out pay cheques' - Hon Turnbull
Speaking during the Eleventh Sitting of the Second session of the Fourth House of Assembly (HoA) on Thursday, July 2, 2020, Hon Turnbull said the government should go after the revenues owed by companies. Potential revenues, he said, amount to hundreds of millions.
"I'm talking about those of us, who live in this country, who operate businesses in the country, who have employees in the country, Mr Speaker, that we deduct Social Security and NHI from their paycheck and don't pay it in"
"And not a man ain't going and collect it? But they continue getting contracts from the same government and then we complain about we don't got money," Hon Turnbull told the House.
According to the representative, who had previously raised the issue in February of 2020, a key question asked during the implementation of the NHI programme concerned the penalties for non-compliance for both employers and employees.
"We can't continue to develop systems and we are the ones that enable the breaking down of systems," he told legislators.
He urged legislators to find a way to make sure there is compliance and penalise companies. "If you're not contributing on behalf of your employees to NHI, stop taking it out their pay cheques... there are complains all over," he said.
Ninth District Representative, Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), whose portfolio covers Social Security, said the issues will be looked at as a matter of priority.
Challenges of NHI
It was in 2018 during the House of Assembly’s, Standing Finance Committee, to examine the draft allocations for 2018, coming under the Ministry of Health and Social Development, that Director of the Virgin Islands' (VI), Social Security Board (DSSB), Ms Antoinette Skelton said NHI was spending more than it earns.
Ms Skelton reported too that a significant number of employers in the Territory did not pay contributions for their employees, but the employees were benefitting from the system.
The DSSB said too that another challenge that could negatively affect the scheme was the legislation that said that children and persons over 65 years of age were entitled to receive free medical attention.
She had advised that those persons were not contributing to the NHI system, but they opted to go to private facilities instead of the public health care centres.
In January 2019, Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Carvin Malone (AL) had said some hard decisions needed to be made to make the scheme in the Virgin Islands more effective.
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30 Responses to “Companies not paying NHI should 'stop taking it out pay cheques' - Hon Turnbull ”
Why didn't they use it to stimulate small businesses? Some businesses were looted and some not properly compensated by insurance companies who are now buying up the properties of the poor souls who could not get back on their feet because of the same bad mindedness and deviousness of those heading these companies allegedly.
This is not new!
All nationalities of employers have been removing the funds from employers paycheck and not submitting. The employee is none the wiser until they go to make a claim from SS or see the Dr.
People have been complaining to the labor department about this long time and only now due to circumstances our Premier is hearing this.
Very sad. Employers you are stealing! Pay the stolen funds and allow the people to access for what has been paid for. Theft is illegal.
it is about time that this is discussed publically. its been going on for years and sadly it is mostly work permited employees who are victimized like ths...if they complain then they just get fired.
employers who steel like this from their employees pay cheques should face criminal charges..because it is theft plain and simple.
maybe a check on this could be each employer must obtain a letter of good standing from nhi and ssb before they can get their operating trade license renewed each year...and/ or letter of good standing must accompany any bid for government projects...i know that the RDA require it as part of the application process.
this will generate revinue each year for the ssb and nhi for the letters and hopefully ensure that people do indeed bring these payments up to date. dont stop persuing this Hon Turnbull, there can not be any amnesty on this or bail outs for those who have stolen like this. it will only encourage more to do it.
reapectfully submitted
Reason 1. We see there is a problem but have not seen any sulotions or recommendations on fixes.
Reason 2. These issues have been going on with the same people with change of government over 20 something years + and still happening with no solution.
Reason 3. They introduce NHI and Social Security had these same issues for years with employers/employees not paying their fair share.
Reason 4. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to smell something fishy.
Reason 5. I can't type anymore because the list so long with the rubbish i read all the time with Social Security and NHI since it began and no one has resolved.
So I can justify someone being removed from their post.
Recommendation: put together a special unit within these establishment to deal with all outstanding revenue.
Automate NHI, social security , login to see real time info on payments history. Mehn this stuff is so easy my child can come up with this stuff.
This tells me they don't want to fix the issues........I'm also sure they read the blogs and there are people who have good ideas.
There, titled fixed.
I totally agree with your observation. This solution is simple but we don't want to do what's necessary. Our elected Official/Leaders don't want to take that step. They don't want to put their family and friends and campaign donors in the jail. This will cause them to lose their clouts or positions. They need to get serious and put their foot down on this issued else we will always have citizens in front your face with the hands out. Employers need to be haul off to jail and made to pay what the owe along with compounded interest on the amount. If we expect the country to prosper we must take a serious stands on issues such as this.
On another note, those employers who taking money from the employees paycheck and not paying it in, you ought to be a shame of yourselves. Some of them, around here spending money and showing off like they have it made when in reality to robbing their employees. Financing them, they family, side chicks and strip clubs on the backs of your employees. No kind a shame what so ever.
Downright shameful.
it is about time dem mek dem pay fo we..........