Retirement pensions should go up too

THE EDITOR: I would like to make a small contribution on the 2004/2005 Budget presentation by the Minister of Finance, Hon Prime Minister, Mr Patrick Manning. If you consider it important, I would appreciate that you make a relevant release for the interest of the national community. In keeping with his 2002 election campaign promise, the Minister of Finance in his 2003/2004 Budget presentation announced that the minimum monthly retirement pension under the National Insurance System would have been $1,000 effective October 1, 2003 even if the earned pension was less than $1,000. This was done to be on par with the payment of the old age pension at that time.

The Prime Minister has announced in this 2004/2005 Budget presentation an increase of $150 per month for old age pensioners from October 1, 2004. However, he has made no mention about any increase to the monthly minimum retirement pension. I wish to appeal to the National Insurance Board to do likewise and increase the monthly minimum retirement pension from $1,000 to $1,150; so that at no time would NIS pension be less than the rate of old age pension. Alternatively, the Prime Minister must maintain his promise to have the NIS pension increased too.

HUBERT B DOLSINGH, HBM (Gold)
Independent National Insurance Consultant