Luncheon expressed that “the insurable earning ceiling has increased to $158

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– Dr. Luncheon Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon has expressed in an end of year press conference yesterday, that Cabinet has approved an increase for pensioners effective at the start of the New Year.Luncheon articulated that in the wake of the 2013 salary increases in the public service, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) increased its benefits. He said that the “minimum pension has been increased to $19,770 per month, that’s the smallest pension that can be paid to any pensioner who is illegible to receive a pension from the NIS.”Additionally, Luncheon expressed that “the insurable earning ceiling has increased to $158,159. The insurable earning ceiling is the limit under which the contribution rate is applied for the compilation of your NIS contributions. So $158,000 per month is the limit to which contributions are gathered. On that basis, 14 percent is the contribution as we sit here which would determine your actual payment of the contributions to the NIS” said Luncheon.Luncheon also spoke of increases at the General Registrars Office (GRO) for increases in the price of certificates.“Cabinet today (yesterday) also approved increases in the cost of acquisition of important documents provided by the GRO of birth, death and marriage certificates, the prices are now set by cabinet with effect from the first of February 2014 at $300 per certificate.”CONTRACTSLuncheon further listed several contracts that Cabinet has approved. Within the ambit of health, contracts were approved for the construction of a Port Kaituma Hospital within the North West District of Region 1 to the tune of $375 Million.Approval by Cabinet was also granted for the supply and delivery of medical and physiotherapy equipment for the Ministry of Health at a cost of $32.6 Million, while approval was granted for the supply and delivery of contraceptives and related items for maternal and child health ($54.4 Million). Additionally, approval was granted for the procurement of radiology supplies for the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for $48.9 Million.Luncheon also expressed that procurement of law books for the Supreme Court of Judicature was approved at a cost of 57,000 Pounds.According to Luncheon, approval was granted for the phase three construction of the Synthetic track and field which is being built at Leonora on the West Coast of Demerara to the tune of $62.2 Million for the construction of a Club house and the field respectively.