Time to reform pension system

As of Tuesday, June 11, 2019

EDITOR, The Tribune

Right thinking Bahamians everywhere should be calling for reform to our current pension system. While I agree with certain positions in government receiving pensions for a specific duration of national service, there has to be a limit on the amount of sources a person can tap into to receive pensions from the public treasury.

It is my view that only a Prime Minister that has served at least eight years should be able to receive two pensions, one for the PM post and the other for being a Member of Parliament. No other person, be they a former government minister or their spouse should be allowed to draw more than one pension from the treasury for their lifetime, and if they are offered a pensionable post, the lesser paying pension should be withdrawn.

Can we please stop selecting people who are already collecting pensions from the government to pensionable positions that will allow them to reap even more benefits from the public purse on the backs of Bahamian taxpayers? It is a despicable act of political patronage that is an affront to struggling Bahamian taxpayers.

Nassau,

June 5, 2019.

sheeprunner12 4 years, 10 months ago

Sooooo, if a person works and retires three times at three different positions in the public service, he/she will collect three pensions??? ....... Or is that only reserved for political appointments????? ....... MP, Senate, Cabinet, PM, ambassador, GG etc. ....... So, for example, will CA Smith collect five pensions now????????

hrysippus 4 years, 10 months ago

Was the retiring GG getting paid the bloated pension paid to retired Prime Ministers and surviving spouses, at the same time that she was being paid to hold the post of GG. How much was this costing the taxpayer on am annual basis?

OMG 4 years, 10 months ago

Try this for blatant discrimination. Two teachers one a Bahamian and the other a non Bahamian permanent resident teach for 35/40 years in the same school. They both do the same job with the same hours and subject to the same general orders. Upon retirement the Bahamian teacher gets a teachers pension and slightly reduced national insurance pension. The non Bahamian is only eligible for a slightly enhanced national insurance pension even though he/she may have given their life to teaching in the Bahamas, settled down, bought a house and so on. Before any misinformed teacher replies, the gratuity the foreign teachers get is for a maximum of three contracts and in in lieu of pension. In simple terms if a foreign teacher teaches for 40 years and has three contracts of 2 years each (total 6 years) then the money he receives in lieu of pension is for 6 years and the remaining 34 years he unlike his Bahamian counterpart doing the same job means he/she are working without a pension. Total discrimination that would not be tolerated in any other civilised country.

sheeprunner12 4 years, 10 months ago

What is the issue here?? ....... That is the decision made by the non-Bahamian (who has another home) to remain here. Many move from island to island, collect rent and hardship etc and save up shit-loads of money and send back to their home country (or go to the USA & Canada) .......... The Bahamas is for Bahamians .......... Do not feel sorry for those non-Bahamians, some of whom should not even be hired or retained to teach in our (public) schools. Many are like the biblical "hireling".

OMG 4 years, 10 months ago

Teachers cannot move by choice from island to island. Granted some expats do their contract and remit spare funds however "shit loads of money " is nonsense. That being said a few make their lives in the Bahamas because they love the country and contribute to the economy by purchasing property, cars, groceries and so on. Of course there are bad teachers as in every profession but I can assure you this applies equally to some Bahamians. As for your "the bahamas is for Bahamians" you will find that in the right areas foreign skilled workers are of great benefit to a country. By your simplistic statement I suppose every Bahamian working in the USA, Dubai,the UK and other countries should be sent back. Such nonsense that you spout damages your great country and welcoming people. It remains that a Bahamian nurse working in the UK or the USA is entitled to the same benefits as a national of that country As for rent Bahamians and expats recieve no rent allowance in New Providence, and both Bahamians and expats only receive rent allowance is the MOE moves them.

sheeprunner12 4 years, 10 months ago

Rent is paid in the Out Islands ...... the majority of teachers in Out Island secondary schools are non-Bahamians ........ Do your research. Bahamians who teach in the Out Islands are domiciled after 5 years ...... The ex-pats do not put down roots, they move on to keep their extra benefits going ....... Many of them have friends in high places who give them favorable contracts ........... And the Teachers Union covers for too many of them ....... some of them (especially West Indians) are too damn biggety ......... And the same thing goes for those racist Indian doctors ............ Call it what it is.

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