From left, Deloris Leslie, Elaine Barker and Elaine Emmanuel in animated conversation recalling their 40 years of service to the National Insurance Scheme.
FORTY YEARS? Sounds like a lifetime for some persons but for three women, this represents the number of years for which they have been giving dedicated service to the administration of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).
Beaming with humility and a sense of fulfilment, Elaine Adassa Barker, Delores Anita Leslie and Elaine Emmanuel sat proudly in one of the executive suites at the National Heroes Circle offices of the Ministry and recounted their 40-year tenure with the scheme.
Elaine Emmanuel, known to many as 'Miss Emma', started out at the Kingston and St. Andrew local office; Elaine Barker began her relationship with the Ministry at the Great Georges Street, Westmoreland parish office in 1966, while Miss Leslie still boasts of her roots at the Duke Street offices of the NIS in the historic town of Falmouth, Trelawny.
ELATED EMMA
After the ladies introduced themselves, Miss Emma shared something special.
"If you will allow me, I have something very special here with me. It means so much that I have treasured it. I don't think I can find my first appointment letter but this is something that I have always treasured. I don't know if persons remember those old pink telegrams. This is the telegram that I got telling me to report to 74 Slipe Road at 8:30 [on January 31, 1966]. It means so much to me," Miss Emma explained.
Everyone admitted that it is a collector's item, something that may well end up in the archives of the ministry or at the Institute of Jamaica.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NIS SCHEME
Miss Emma attended the interview and was told immediately that she was employed and was required to take up duties at the St. Andrew office of the NIS.
When an elated Emma made her way up to the office, then located at 75 Half-Way Tree Road, Percy Gordon, manager at the office, told her that she had to work until 8:00 p.m. that same day of the interview.
From her first day on the job, Miss Emma was initiated into the fact that she was joining the ministry at an historic stage in its development.
A big change was about to take place in the Ministry of Labour and National Insurance, the establishment of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).
"They were in the process of registering employers and employees [for the National Insurance Scheme] and we had to get all these forms ready for distribution to the employers," Miss Emma recalls.
The stately lady, who has represented Jamaica in cricket and table tennis, soon recognised that her job would involve laying the groundwork for profound and far reaching changes in the lives of many Jamaicans.
Miss Emma who enjoys working with senior citizens has spent most of these 40 years of service to the Kingston and St. Andrew parish office holding positions such as clerical officer, national insurance (NI) inspector, assistant manager and manager of that office.
Now serving as director of international social security, Miss Emma credits her success to the tutelage of the staff and senior officers who helped to groom her throughout the years and is grateful to everyone who has contributed to her rewarding tenure in the Ministry.
She also wished the Ministry continued success in the administration of all its programmes.
Miss Emma is aware that like many before her, she will have to leave when she reaches the age of retirement.
She thinks she has given her best years in the government service and is happy to have devoted her time and attention to the improvement of the lives of many persons.
Until that time comes, she continues to enjoy her job and to give of her best.
DISCIPLINED DELORIS
Deloris Leslie also received a telegram and started working on January 17, 1966.
She can recall several offers for her to relocate to Kingston to share her expertise with the staff and clients in the Corporate Area.
However, like so many persons in rural Jamaica, she was not eager to work in Kingston and found a convenient and compelling excuse in the fact that she had responsibility for the care of her aging mother. Following her mother's death in 1981, she lost her justification for remaining in Trelawny. In November of that same year, Miss Leslie joined the staff at the Kingston and St. Andrew parish office.
Close to twenty five years later, Miss Leslie is a veteran in the field of ensuring compliance with the National Insurance Act and Regulations. Miss Leslie who is distinguished by her penchant for discipline, explains that she is renowned for securing compliance by convincing even the most delinquent employers to pay over the contributions to the Collector of Taxes.
In her four decades, Miss Leslie has worked as an inspector, receptionist, claims processor to name a few but it is her role as an inspector, a position she held for many years that she finds most rewarding to date. "I used to meet a lot of people out there and I would get them to pay up," noted Miss Leslie. Today, Miss Leslie holds the position of assistant manager at the Kingston and St. Andrew parish office. She still enjoys serving the public and will continue to do so until her retirement.
Dedicated Elaine
Mrs. Elaine Barker recalls that when she started, her main duties involved promoting the National Insurance Scheme by informing both employers and employees of their rights and obligations under the Scheme. Then, Elaine Stewart, Mrs. Barker remembers going from business to business to get employers and employees registered.
Even though it has been a natural progression after serving in the local office for a certain period to work at the Ministry's headquarters in Kingston, Mrs. Barker's transfer in early 1971 to the St. Andrew office of the National Insurance Scheme which was located at Union Square in Cross Roads was not strictly because her job required her to relocate. Recently wed, Elaine had to join her husband in Kingston. Mrs. Barker recalls having responsibility for areas such as the industrial belt along Marcus Garvey Drive. It was a pleasure for her to go to many of these places. According to Mrs. Barker "it was safe and there was no reason to be fearful."
A sports enthusiast, she has been actively involved in the administration of basketball in Jamaica and was the manager for the Jamaica national female basketball team. She presently manages the Braves Basketball Club. She has also been singing with the Methodist Chorale since 1973.
Mrs. Barker has also worked as a claims processor in the head office of the Ministry which was located at 74 Slipe Road in Kingston. At that time, former Governor General, Sir Howard Cooke was serving as Minister of Pensions and National Insurance. Mrs. Barker has served as the assistant manager at the Kingston and St. Andrew local office and smiles when she speaks of the bonds that she has developed with the pensioners over the years. Her duties involved visiting all the major Post Offices in the Kingston and St. Andrew region in order to deliver the pension cheques.
Mrs. Barker, who is now on pre-retirement leave, believes she still has a lot to contribute and is sad that it is almost time for her to say goodbye to the institution that she virtually calls her home away from home. During the interview she was reminded of the many activities that abound in the Ministry for her to share her talents with other senior citizens and particularly the role of the National Council for Senior Citizens.
Advice to employees and employers
The three ladies recall the widespread resentment to the establishment of the National Insurance Scheme but having worked at various levels in the operations of the Scheme, they have also witnessed the ways in which the Scheme has contributed positively to the lives of many pensioners and other beneficiaries in the respective categories.
The fortieth anniversary trio is encouraging employees to play a more active role in ensuring that their contributions are paid over to the Ministry by the employers. They also had encouraging words for the nation's employers and are reminding them that it is important to honour their obligations under the Scheme. They are also reminding employers and employees that the services of the Ministry are open to any employer or employee who needs and information or advice regarding the various programmes that are administered by the Ministry. Indeed, their faces are sheer pleasure as they explain that the technological improvements in the Ministry have made it easier to serve the public and to communicate effectively with the parish offices.
No account of the development of the National Insurance Scheme would be complete without mention of the outstanding contributions of Miss Emma, Miss Leslie and Mrs. Barker. They have participated actively in the growth and development of the Scheme and are very proud to have been part of it.
