By Mark DaCosta- A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has backed a High Court challenge accusing the National Insurance Board (NIB) of underpaying minimum-rate old-age pensioners, arguing that retirees must receive the benefits to which they are legally entitled.
In a statement released on October 13, 2026, the opposition coalition called on the Government and the NIB to urgently review the claims, determine whether arrears are owed and ensure that any outstanding payments are settled.
The court application was filed by Attorney-at-Law Christopher Ram, pensioner Kalicharan Heera, the Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers, the United Minibus Union and the Guyana Market Vendors Union. The applicants are asking the court to compel the NIB to comply with the statutory minimum pension requirements and pay arrears dating back to 2021.
The dispute centres on Regulation 4(b) of the National Insurance Scheme Benefit Regulations, which the applicants interpret as requiring the minimum pension to be at least half the Public Service minimum wage.
Under their calculation, the minimum pension should currently be $51,173 monthly, compared with the $43,075 reportedly being paid to affected pensioners. The alleged shortfall is $8,098 per month, which the applicants estimate could amount to approximately $510,300 for each pensioner who received the minimum rate throughout the period in question.
These figures reflect the applicants’ claims and have not been determined by the court. APNU’s statement did not include a response from the NIB.
The coalition said the issue had previously been raised in Parliament. In 2024, APNU parliamentarian Annette Ferguson moved a motion, seconded by Juretha Fernandes, seeking retroactive payments for minimum-rate pensioners for 2021 to 2023. The motion was disallowed by Speaker Manzoor Nadir.
APNU said the court action now provides an avenue for the disputed pension entitlements to be examined.
The coalition stressed that pension payments should be treated as legal obligations rather than discretionary assistance.
“They are not acts of charity or government favours,” APNU said, describing pension payments as “entitlements protected by law.”
It added that retirees facing rising living costs should receive “every dollar to which they are legally entitled.”
The coalition also questioned the contrast between Guyana’s expanding oil revenues and the financial circumstances of elderly citizens, arguing that economic growth must translate into tangible benefits for vulnerable groups.
“Good governance cannot be measured solely by the construction of roads, bridges and buildings,” the statement said.
APNU maintained that the National Insurance Scheme was established to protect contributors and beneficiaries and should not frustrate legitimate claims. It called for an urgent examination of the alleged shortfalls, payment of any arrears found to be due, and safeguards to prevent future underpayments.
The coalition also urged the Government to ensure that the necessary funding is provided in the national budget.
“Economic growth without social justice is incomplete development,” APNU declared, warning against “prosperity without fairness.”
The coalition concluded that senior citizens deserve more than expressions of appreciation and that Guyana has a duty to honour its obligations to them.
The legal dispute remains unresolved. The High Court will have to determine whether the applicants’ interpretation of the regulations is correct and, if so, what payments may be owed by the NIB.
