| KINGSTON, July 5 (JIS): |
| Since
its introduction in December 2003, the NI Gold, a special Health Plan
for NIS Pensioners has already paid out over $100 million in claims,
and provided benefits for more than 70,000 pensioners. The NI Gold provides benefits not covered under the National Health Fund (NHF) and JADEP, such as doctor’s visits, diagnostic services, surgery, hospitalization, dental and optical. Minister of Labour and Social Security, Horace Dalley, in giving an update on the programme during his contribution to the 2004/05 Sectoral Debate in Gordon House last week (June 30) also urged pensioners who have not yet been processed to receive their electronic cards to visit the nearest office of the Electoral Office of Jamaica, (EOJ) that have been contracted to produce these cards. This, he said, would ensure that they continued to benefit from NI Gold after the current temporary card expires on June 30, 2004. The registration period has been extended to November 30, 2004 to enable all pensioners to be registered. He pointed out that improvements in benefits have been made possible by the close monitoring of contribution collections by the NIS staff and the prudent management and investment of the Fund, which now stands at over $32.5 billion. Meanwhile, the Fund continues to maintain a diversified portfolio of assets comprising: 67 per cent money market instruments, 17 per cent in equities and 13 per cent in real estate and resort holdings. Represented
in the Fund’s equity portfolio are companies in the financial
services sector, construction industry, shipping, manufacturing
and distribution, roads and communications. In addition the fund
also invests in equities listed on the Barbados and Trinidad Stock
exchanges. |
