THE National Insurance Scheme (NIS) wishes to bring to the public’s attention acts of intimidation and threats to its officers on Friday, July 22, 2011 by a city businessman and his employees as they were attempting to carry out official duties, according to an NIS statement issued yesterday.
The statement continued:
“An inspection team, headed  by Senior Inspector, Nicholas Yearwood; Inspectors Regan Baxter, Carolyn Peters and Leslie Allen, accompanied by driver Horace Richards, came under attack while visiting the construction site of Mr Omprakash Shivraj, also known as ‘Buddy’, at New Providence, East Bank Demerara. The officers were conducting routine exercises and visited the site to execute a ‘Full Compliance’ check.
“The NIS officers impounded for inspection three wages records and time sheets, resulting in them being surrounded by Mr Shivraj and several of his employees who prevented them from exiting the property. Mr Shivraj and his employees held the officers hostage, whilst using threats and force in demanding the return of the impounded documents which were forcefully wrenched from the hands of Inspector Regan Baxter. The incident was later reported to the Providence Police Station.
“The NIS condemns in the strongest possible terms this brazen act of intimidation and threat to its officers by Mr Shivraj and his employees. The Scheme calls on the authorities to deal with this matter urgently and mete out the most condign judgement on all those who were involved in, and are guilty of the perpetration of this criminal act.
“The Scheme will also be instituting the appropriate action in accordance with the law,” the statement concluded.