Budget debates continued on Wednesday with Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill revealing that under the former government, over $400 million in National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contributions were not paid for staff at the Transport and Harbour Department (T&HD).
According to Minister Edghill, under the PPP/C assumed office in August 2020, his Ministry was forced to pay $470 million in arrears to the Scheme. This is because contributions to NIS were not remitted for the Department’s employees between 2015 and 2020 – the entire period under which APNU+AFC governed.
“When we came to government, the Transport and Harbour Department was one of the departments that was struggling. Let me explain. For the period 2015 to 2020, no NIS contributions were made for the staff of the Transport and Harbour Department.”
“I am pleased to announce, Mr. Speaker, that the arrears of $470 million have been paid off and any staff at Transport and Harbour Department can now get their benefits. And that is what the PPP/C government has done for the people of Guyana.”
Edghill also lamented that under APNU+AFC, even the workers’ union dues were not being remitted. Nevertheless, he noted that this too has since been corrected by the PPP/C government.
