Last Updated on July 24, 2024, 2:10 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Basseterre, St Kitts: The Government of St Kitts and Nevis is all set to host a special event on Thursday, July 25, 2024. The event is scheduled at 8:30 a.m. for the commencement of the pension payments to the retired GAE workers.
The Pension Reform Task Force has prioritised the pension payments to Government Auxiliary Employees (GAEs) who retired after May 2012, highlighting the commitment of Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew and his administration to amend the injustice of the former Team Unity Administration.
PM Drew made a live appearance in Freedom FM’s Issues SKN Programme on Tuesday, July 23, 2024 and stated that the former administration made it harder for GAE workers instead of helping them. He also said that the workers such as the drivers, technicians, and forth did not have a guarantee of a pension.
PM Dr Drew additionally mentioned that before 2021 the GAEs used to get a gratuity that was calculated by using a formula to them. The administration then used a different formula and cut the gratuity by 2/3rd.
“If they were to get $100, they cut it down to $33.33- a third of what they used to get before 2021,” the Prime Minister explained with an example.
Providing GAEs with their payment of pension aims to bring significant and immediate financial relief to hundreds of persons.
It is to be noted that to qualify for the pension payments, Government Auxiliary Employees must be at least 62 years old and should have contributed a minimum of fifteen years of service. Considerably the GAE workers who are qualified will receive their pensions on 25th July.
The law has been triggered and so the pension payments will start. The government even stated that they will pay the workers back from January 024 because that is when they made the promise of the pension. With this, many will benefit in hundreds and a few even by thousands.
Prime Minister Drew even noted that he feels a sense of pride in knowing that his administration is able to facilitate the act of ensuring GAEs with the payment for which they have worked for over the years.
The procedure of the payments will commence with a selected number of employees at the event in front of Government Headquarters, with other payments being provided after.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
