Government temporarily withdraws legislation to make self employed pay NIS contribuitions

File: Finance Minister Larry Howai 

Finance Minister Larry Howai told Parliament on Tuesday the government is temporarily withdrawing its proposal to make it compulsory for self-employed persons to pay National Insurance.

Howai introduced the measure in the House of Representatives on Monday as part of the Finance Bill. 

Opposition MP Colm Imbert told legislators Government should not make such a significant change without a proper explanation. He stated further that introducing such a measure would infringe on people's fundamental rights.

On Tuesday, Howai announced that the Government would consider the comments. "We would like to take another look at it and perhaps come back with a separate piece of legislation, maybe in March of this year, to facilitate an implementation in July," Howai said.

The proposal for self employed would have made it mandatory for all self employed persons to make contributions to national insurance. Such a move would have provided protection for tens of thousands of persons providing the full range os NIS services, including a retirement pension.