27 debt, contract review/preparation, legal services, review of conveyancing deeds and other legal instruments. The unit was able to resolve 195 matters during the reporting period. Securing court agreements, as well as non- litigation and litigation approaches resulted in the recovery of $1,418,933.91 in contribution arrears, penalties and interest from 29 non- compliant employers. The figure recovered for the previous year’s figure was $2,455,981.80. A total of $695,465.44 was recovered in mortgagedebtpayments. Afurther$2,997,319.15 was recovered from judgements – contribution arrears. Through the use of alternative dispute resolution techniques, in-house counsel secured three promissory notes valued at $470,362.64. Human Resources During the reporting period, the staffing complement for the approved structure stood at 710 persons. Employees were exposed to a range of training programmes throughout the financial year in a number of different areas. A key initiative undertaken was an in-depth Leadership Development Programme for Executive and Senior Managers, which exposed participants to a 12-week programme consisting of Communication, Staff Motivation, Coaching, Performance Management, Team Building, Decision Making and Ethics. Other members of staff at varying levels were exposed to training which included Foundational Training, Robbery Response Training, Insurance Operations Product Training, Coaching and Mentoring. Professional enhancements programme for specific specialised areas were also conducted in the areas of Fraud Risk Management, Corporate Governance, Six Sigma Tools for Internal Audit, Procurement Training, IT Auditing and Financial Modelling. Staff Negotiations The collective bargaining process with the recognised majority union was concluded on June 15, 2016 for the period 2011 to 2013. As per the NIBTT’s agreement with the Public Services Association, bargaining unit employees were paid their new salaries and allowances in July 2016 and retroactive salaries in August 2016. Accommodations A key aspect of NIBTT’s transformation during the reporting period was the relocation from our old familiar Head Office, NIB House 2A Cipriani Boulevard, Port of Spain to our new Corporate Headquarters at 14 – 19 Queen’s Park East, Port of Spain. The construction of this building was commissioned in 2014 and completed two years later within cost, time and quality as part of NIBTT’s investment strategy. I am proud to further report that this new building is the first LEED Gold certified building in the country and exemplifies our commitment to long-term sustainability and efficiency. Additionally, the Tunapuna Service Centre was upgraded and reopened on February 09, 2017. This provides convenient access and enhanced service delivery to customers of Tunapuna and environs. REGIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY INITIATIVES The International Labour Organisation (ILO) hosted a four-day training programme titled, ‘Extension of Social Protection in the Context of Formalisation Policies’ in March 2017, at the Kapok Hotel, Port of Spain. The NIBTT was represented at the training, which was attended by senior social security representatives from 16 countries in the region. Participation in the event was also seen as an occasion to strengthen relationships among regional social security institutions. APPRECIATION I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to employees of the NIBTT, both past and present, and to thank them sincerely for their tireless dedication and commitment to this organisation over its 45 years of service administration to the people of Trinidad and Tobago; from our humble beginnings when only four NIS benefit types were provided, to where the system has now evolved into one that currently delivers 23 types of benefits, testament to our faithfulness in providing relevant coverage to the working population and their dependents. Prior to the introduction of social insurance coverage in Trinidad and Tobago, this gap in coverage was provided by Friendly Societies and other voluntary and charitable organisations. Since 1972, the NIBTT has assumed this role and today provides this essential service to approximately 192,000 benefit recipients. However, the ageing population and global economic downturn, have challenged the sustainability of the system. In this regard, the NIBTT has ensured that the requisite actuarial assessments are conducted at least within five-