The National Insurance Board of T&T (NIBTT) is currently updating its records to include the PIN number assigned to electronic birth certificates of NIS pensioners and other beneficiaries.Recipients are being asked to take in their electronic birth certificates to NIB offices along with their completed life certificate forms to NIBTT on or before June 23, 2014.This exercise seems simple enough but the trauma that some pensioners have experienced shows that the process needs some attention.
You will have to imagine your 83-year-old relative having to trudge, limp or be carried to the Ministry of Legal Affairs to get her birth certificate, then off to a Commissioner of Affidavit to correct an age-old error, locating a priest, policeman or banker to sign the life certificate and finally to NIB office to lodge her documents.You can bet that the Ministry of Legal Affairs, churches, banks and the NIB offices are swamped with requests. Set up tents if necessary. Bring in Commissioners of Affidavits if necessary.In the meanwhile I am asking the Ministry of Legal Affairs to prioritise those people requesting death certificates as invariably a funeral depends on it.It is early days yet!
J Kim
via e-mail