By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
THE National Insurance Board's (NIB) information technology (IT) challenges have caused a 43 per cent decline in productivity, a Cabinet minister revealed yesterday.
Brensil Rolle, minister of state for the public service and National Insurance, lamented that an additional $2 million will have to be spent on "bug" fixes and maintenance enhancements for NIB's V3 System. Mr Rolle, during his contribution to the mid-year Budget debate, blamed the Christie administration for implementing a system he labelled "not ready" and "not able to do the job".
"They just wanted to make an announcement that they were doing something and it is with regret that the public is suffering," he argued. "NIB has had many challenges with its V3 system. Many challenges have impacted NIB's operation.
"The issues are so far-reaching and have impacted the Bahamian public at large. The system requires an overwhelming amount of bug fixes.
At the end of April 2017, the NIB Board had already spent $1.4 million to address some of the bug fixes and enhancements in its maintenance packages.
It is projected that by the end of 2019 an additional $2.3 million will be spent by the Board on fixes."
Mr Rolle added that there was a one-year warranty on the system's software, but100 'bugs' were only uncovered after the period expired.
"NIB has seen a major decline in productivity as a result of the system," he said. "There has been a 43 per cent reduction in productivity. We are going to address that issue. We will address the backlog of claims. From April 2016 to November 2017 there were approximately 4,660 short-term benefit claims outstanding.
"Over that period there were 1,887 long term claims made that were not addressed."
He warned that NIB "will probably lose money again for 2017", and added: "We are committed to stopping this downward spiral by aggressively enforcing compliance."
Comments
hrysippus 6 years, 1 month ago
If your weekly contribution to nib fail, . . . . ... They will take you to the court, or even put you in the jail, . . . ..... And so for forty odd years you pay them lots of money, . . .. But ask them for your pension, and they'll laugh like you being funny, . . .... Cos that money long time spent on salary and ting, . . . . .... This scheme dreamed up by pindling is just a fiscal sting, . . . ... With millions given to bananasscare, ZNS, and BOB, . . .. .. they've mismanaged it so badly, there is nothing left for you or me.
realitycheck242 6 years, 1 month ago
Their new system has set that organization back by 10 years. Processings of STB;s can take nore than a month as oppose to five days with the old system. Processing of LTB;s can take more than 3 months , The old IBM system was far more efficient.and its cost was about 10 percent of the cost of the new system, NIB today is a shadow if its past self when its IT department had visionary personell.who did noy insist on being called ego inflated names.No wonder processing is down to 47 %., While the new V3 system has many good enhancements, the growiing pains has certainly damage the reputation of what use to be a shining example of how a government corporation should run.
Porcupine 6 years, 1 month ago
Are there simply no adults in the room? The "bugs" weren't discovered until after the one year warranty expired? How do you make this stuff up? If we can't handle the simple things.........................................................
joeblow 6 years, 1 month ago
How do they explain the gross inefficiencies in the system BEFORE this IT failure?
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