Stressed out by the NIB

THE EDITOR: This is an open letter to those with responsibility for NIB.

How can a cheque which was returned to allow the payee to cash it without depositing it into an account mysteriously disappear?

My wife applied for and received a cheque as payment for special maternity grant as a non-national legally residing on the island on April 22.

However, given the fact that she is unable to open a bank account, it was returned to the Tobago office on or around May 19, to facilitate the redoing of said payment, which would allow me to cash it without the use of an account.

Since then, we have been making numerous visits to the NIB's Tobago office and calls to the NIB customer care centre, yet it seems no one is able to locate the cheque or provide an update on the status of the payment.

On August 29, we sent an e-mail to customercare@NIBTT.net and received this response on September 1 from a person from the customer care department: "Good day, thank you for your e-mail and the information contained within. Please be advised that your e-mail is acknowledged, and its content is duly noted.”

Two weeks ago, when we visited the Tobago office, we were given an indemnity form to fill out and told the cheque may have to be reprinted.

Having been a contributor to NIB since I was in my early twenties, I wondered if it wasn’t best that I invested in the Drugs Sou Sou or kept my money under my mattress?

Our daughter will turn one on December 1 and we are still awaiting the returned cheque.

I hope the publishing of this letter will inspire those with responsibility at NIB to be truly more than a pension provider.

D Mark

Tobago NIB

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