Jamaicans Urged To Regularise Their Status

Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Marsha Smith, is encouraging Jamaicans to regularise their status in order to get into the formal economy and benefit from various services to improve their welfare.

She was addressing the third staging of the Ministry’s Wealth Summit held virtually on February 9 under the theme: ‘New Year, New Opportunities.’ The session focused on strategies to help persons accomplish their financial goals in 2022.

Ms. Smith said that a simple step that persons can take to formalise their status is by ensuring that they have government-issued documentation, such as a birth certificate.

“You would be surprised to know how often persons have to utilise these documents to generate other documents such as your Tax Registration Number (TRN) and your National Insurance Scheme (NIS) number,” she pointed out.

The State Minister noted that there are thousands of Jamaicans, who cannot be a part of the formal economy because they lack a birth certificate and urged them to take advantage of the late registration process to obtain this important document.

She further advised parents to take steps to rectify any errors or omissions on their children’s birth certificate, including correcting names and spellings, and establishing paternity by adding the father’s name.

Ms. Smith said that a voter identification (ID) card is another government-issued document that can assist persons when conducting business.

“Get enumerated…it offers an opportunity for persons to get a secure government ID to access services at several financial institutions,” she pointed out.

For persons employed in the private sector, she urged them to ensure that they have formal employment contracts in place, which will allow them to track their statutory deductions and entitlements.

“If you are an employer, formalise your employment contracts, submit your statutory returns for your employees. If you are an employee, insist upon your state of being regularised. Persons cannot access an NIS pension or a National Housing Trust (NHT) benefit if they have never contributed,” she pointed out.

The State Minister said it is also important for farmers to register with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), noting that their ability to access government programmes is reduced or eliminated if they are not formally registered within the sector.

She further encouraged business operators and professionals to ensure that they renew their trade licences and practising certificates, most of which are due for renewal within the first two months of the year.

Meanwhile, for persons, who are interested in becoming entrepreneurs, Ms. Smith advised them to ensure that they separate their personal and business finances.

“This may include a strategy of creating a company through which to operate your commercial activities and even paying yourself a salary, so that you can know how much you are actually making,” she said.