The deadline has passed for  companies who have failed to pay   up national insurance contributions and the government  is now looking to take action.

As National Insurance Minister Brensil Rolle revealed during his contribution to the 2019/2020 budget debate in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, some $17 million is owed in NIB contributions.

Elaborating on that point outside Cabinet yesterday morning, Minister Rolle  told reporters that while most companies have an agreement to pay what is owed; this is something they have simply ignored.

“The next step is to move forward and to prosecute these individuals who have not made their payments to NIB,  lived up to their commitment or the agreement  that they made with NIB ,” he said. 

These outstanding  payments  stretch as far back as 10 years. Over that period, some  businesses  have even closed shop, but the Minister insists the board will work with them.

“Some of the negligence may have been on our behalf as well,  because we signed an agreement with them and perhaps we didn’t pursue them as vigorously as we should have. 

“That’s why I said yesterday that we are going to vigorously pursue businesses, companies and individuals who are operating with a view to ensure that their commitments to NIB are collected in a timely fashion,” Minister Rolle said.      

To employers, Minister Rolle advises, “We’ve set up callers so that individuals can call NIB directly, so they could find out if the payments were made on their behalf;  that is a critical point for staff members and others.” 

“We invite them to call NIB so they can keep a trace or keep track of monies that have been paid on their behalf  to the board and secondly the whole issue of the moral values of companies and individuals who take your money or deduct  your money and not pay you,” the National Insurance Minister said.  

Meantime, the Minister’s urging all employers to live up to their obligation and simply make their  NIB payments.