NIS pension increase from $32,100 to $35, 000

The National Insurance Scheme has announced that old age and invalidity pensions have increased from $32, 100 to $35, 000 per month with effect from January 1, 2020.

Public Relations Officer, Diane Lewis-Baxter told DPI, that the minimum rate for Survivors’ Pension has been increased from $16,050 to $17,500 per month.

Concerning the contribution ceiling, the monthly insurable earning ceiling has been raised from $256,800 to $280,000, while the figures for the weekly insurable earning ceiling moved from $59,262 per week to $64,615.

Lewis-Baxter disclosed that measures are in place to ensure that all pensioners receive their benefits.

“We do have the banking system and we call it lodgment, where persons will submit their bank accounts numbers so that we can put the monies into their bank account. Apart from that, we have offices in every administrative region and persons can visit these offices if they do not have their bank account,” Lewis- Baxter said.

According to the PRO, the statutory date for pensions to be submitted to the bank is the 22nd of every month. She urged pensioners to submit their life certificates on time and employers download a new copy of the electronic schedule which has the updated insurable earnings and ceilings.

Persons can visit their local NIS office for further clarification or contact the NIS’ Public Relations Unit at telephone number 227-6851. They can also email their questions to nispublicrelations@yahoo.com or public_relations@nis.org.gy.

Guyanese man charged with murder in New York

By Tracey Khan – A Guyanese man has been charged with 2nd-degree murder following the death of a 51-year-old male, according to the Schenectady Police Department’s Detective Division in New York.

Ishwarnand Goberdhan called “Creso” 35, of Schenectady and also of Tain Corentyne, Berbice is the accused. He was taken into police custody on Wednesday (January 15) after returning to the U.S without incident, the Division stated.

The Schenectady Police Department said through its investigations it was determined that the victim, Melendez Melendez was intentionally struck by the accused on December 25th, 2019 who then left the scene and subsequently fled the country.

At approximately 8:04 a.m. on December 25, 2019, a call was placed to the Schenectady County Communication Center in which the caller stated that there was a male down in the area. Immediately, both medics from the Fire Department and officers from the Police Department were dispatched to the area and located one male lying in the parking lot of 760 State St.

The autopsy was completed on Thursday, December 26th, 2019 and the death of the victim was ruled a homicide.

The cause of death was blunt force trauma from being struck by a vehicle.