Retired civil servants receive $450 summer bonus
(CNS): Retired government workers who have a public service pension have received a one-off summer bonus of $450. The extra payment was added to the August pension payments directly into retirees’ accounts to help with increased living expenses, especially high fuel costs. Premier Wayne Panton said Friday evening that pensioners are being particularly hard hit by the rising cost of living.
“The impact of the sharp increase in the cost of living is especially pronounced for our pensioners, whose pensions represent a fixed income. This initiative is another example of how we, as a government, are helping our people survive the rising cost of living,” he said.
The one-time payment matches the $150 per month paid to civil servants during the three summer months to help them navigate rising costs through June, July and August.
The bonus comes as the government’s $1.2 million subsidy on power bills comes to end this month. That was given to everyone who uses under 2000kwh per month. Panton has said that programme is under review.
As the final quarter of the year approaches with no sign of the cost of living falling and gas prices at the pump still at record levels here, the loss of the CUC subsidy and the requirement for employers and workers in the private sector to return to the mandatory 10% monthly pension contributions could make for a miserable year-end for many.
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Category: Local News
What about the old Seamen, they worked hard 7 days a week 10 or 12 hours a day to get money to send home for their families, which in turn kept the Government going with the duties that they paid. Remember it was not much Tourist and no Banking those days. They missed many birthdays and Christmas.They laid the foundation for these Island’s where they are today. They deserved the 450 too.i am talking ABOUT the real Seamen NOT those that only say they was a seaman, but only went for a few weeks or a few months, some never even went aboard a ship. They should be weeded out pronto.Thanks.
The way I see things is that everyone needs help right now, seeing everything is costing more , food, gas and if their is some way that these people can get help, I am sure everyone would appreciate it, please don’t look down on other because they ask for help, remember you might be in the seem position one day, and will be looking for help, I think government should do as much as they can to help the people of the Cayman Islands, and for the Most vulnerable and the Seaman they are important also they were once people you could look up to, now that things are hard and they are asking for help, you want to look down on them that shouldn’t be, remember God made everyone in his image, you suppose to always show love to one an other and if that love means money then give it to the people, all people want to be able to do is live as Comfortable as they can, I am pretty sure they would rather be in a better position than they are, than to be begging for hand outs, but this is life and we have to live it the best way we can. so let’s stop putting people down because they need help.🙏HELP THEM.
Thank you PACT Government, as a retired civil servant, I wholeheartedly thank you for this consideration.
In all of this….. the seafarers should be apart of the civil servants….
Envy and jealousy of the earned benefits of government workers, speaks to being bad-minded.
Wow !!!
If vote buying could become anymore public???
Government popularity is very low especially after the the deluded actions from the ministers.
It is clear we need an snap election. No faith in this group.
Free money for voters! Nothing at all wrong with that.
05 @ 12:08 pm – What an ultra-maroon!
Sig. Bugs Bunny
Since noone speaks up for government retirees. and since the Civil Service Association is inactive or unrepresentative, I can say that my wife appreciates the $450 one time payment.
Even so this would be needed monthly to keep up with the high cost of living here. Retirees make little on fixed income.
When a civil servant signs up for the low pay job (usually) the understanding in written contract is that their healthcare and retirement is part of the package.
They pay into the pension each month, in spite of what people think.
It’s on every pay slip!
If they covered insurance and medication (much cheaper too) for retirees living overseas, most of us would migrate!
12:56, I am a retired civil servant. They do NOT pay anything from their salary into pension. Government pays it on the civil servant’s behalf as well as the the government contribution. It is included on the pay slip as part of an arrangement set up back in the nineties to show that pension payments were being made. But it is Government NOT the civil servant who pays it. If you are earning $4000 a month, that is what is paid into your bank account as your salary. Nothing comes out of it. The non contributory pension scheme is part of the employment package for civil servants. Public servants…those working in statutory authorities… may very well have a different less generous scheme.
You are correct! Public Servants at the majority of SAGCs have pensions deducted from their base pay and also pay private health insurance for their dependents as well as health insurance co-pays and deductible. Many of the SAGCs do not have post retirement benefits or if they do, the premiums are very high and unaffordable to the retired employee. These post retirement benefits in no way equates to the absolutely generous lifetime, non-contributory, CI$5M coverage enjoyed by Civil Service pensioners and their dependents upon retirement after only 10yrs of service. At least some of the SAGCs employees contribute to their pensions and private health insurance similar as persons employed in the private sector.
You are correct 7:47 pm regarding pension contributions at the SAGCs, however, the majority of Civil Servants work a minimum of thirty three and a third long years not just ten as you suggest. Only upon reaching the now revised retirement age of 65 years can they retire. It is correct that those who only have ten years of service upon reaching the age of 65 years are also able to retire but the ten year mark does not apply if they are not yet 65. Furthermore, the number of retired civil servants on the “generous” Defined Benefit Plan you refer to is now declining because of their age and subsequent death. Also, do not forget that pensions are calculated on end salary and the majority of those on the DB plan were not making the cushy salaries paid today, Note too, that Plan was replaced by the less generous Defined Contribution Plan when the law was amended years ago, which is more like private sector pensions. So, retired civil servants are not rewarded as highly as some try to portray.They worked hard and dedicated their lives to serve their country. My Mom was one, so I know. She was often required to work from early morning until late evenings, with no extra compensation. I know of many others who did the same and I thank the government for treating them with the respect, care and dignity that they so deserve. This was only a one-off payment but I believe most who received it are thankful.
That is incorrect. You have been lied to. The employee portion of the pension is paid for by the employee. Everything else is smoke and mirrors. What the Government did back in the 90s, that you refer to, was revise how it was shown (and pay rates advertised) in order to make it easier for banks to take account of it when doing loan calculations (and Govt jobs seem to pay more to be competitive when recruiting). The secondary result of that (I assume it helped at the bank, I don’t know, I use the Credit Union) is this current confusion that the Government is somehow paying both the employer and employee portion. That is mathematically and legally not the case.
12:02, you are, alas, quite simply WRONG…and also, it would seem, very stubborn too. Your so called explanation of “what the government did back in the 90s” is complete nonsense. Let’s try again: if you apply for a job in the civil service which pays $4000 per month and get it, the salary (take home pay) you receive at the end of the month will be $4000. THERE IS NO DEDUCTION FOR PENSION. In the private sector, if your salary is $4000 per month, it is almost certain depending on your employment package that your actual take home pay will be significantly less than that because your employer will have deducted a cost for health insurance and another one for pension contribution. Check with someone sensible in the Portfolio of the Civil Service or Ken Jefferson and maybe you will believe it when THEY tell you the pension scheme for civil servants is non contributory.
Suggest you have a look at CIG job adverts in the Compass 02 Sept 2022. Advert for a Vehicle Inspector/Driving Examiner states “Benefits are in accordance with the Public Service Management Act and Regulations (2018), the Public Service Pensions Act (2017 Revision) and the CINICO Health Plan, which includes non-contributory pension and health benefits.”
The same publication of the Compass has a Human Resource Manager position with RCIPS advertised and the benefits state “Pension and health benefits are fully contributed by the government.”
What about other retired citizens who have received nothing during the pandemic?
Don’t civil servants get annual salary adjustments based on COLA?.
No. No they do not.
Pensioners do get an inflation-linked uplift annually I believe. But that is separate in several respects from your initial question.
Meanwhile CIG / Parliamentarians (the highest paid of CIG, I believe grade E – A, those making about $10,000 and above!) give themselves a 15% – 18% from January 2021. Can we have a Judicial Review of that? Oh wait, I believe they were included in that!
How far is $450. going to go? What can you really get with $450.?
Half an iPhone
Only if you buy it off island.
You don’t want it, give it to some of us who aren’t part of the civil service scheme.
More than others who have received nothing!
I am getting sick of all these bonuses and benefits for people who work for, or have worked for, government. They already have well paid jobs or good pensions, and completely free healthcare with no co-pays etc. They aren’t the ones that need the help. They’ve lived off the government teat while the rest of us who did real jobs and hard work don’t get these ongoing handouts.
Stop supporting your cronies with free money and pass it to those pensioners in the community living off scraps and charity, wearing rags, and unable to visit the doctor or pay for their medication.
Wow you would swear no civil servant ever did hard days work based on how you spin it
Your so right absolutely!!!!!!
Your second paragraph describes some civil service pensioners. The vast majority of the Service who made relatively little while working hard their entire lives. Invalidating your first paragraph of bad-minded inaccuracies.
11.17am Well said. We should also add if they commit a crime they get a paid holiday which can be for 2 years or more until their case is heard and if found guilty this is the only way they can lose their “job for life”.
Minimum Wage is pretty much a fixed income as well.
monday morning wonderland stuff…
So this is where our contribution increases are going…
No, public sector and private companies have different pension plans. (And this is not from the pension plan, we can assume.)
As the Middle East promot there Hospitality and Tourism products mainly to Europeans by creating 3.6 million jobs
https://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/middle-east-travel-tourism-expected-to-create-3.6-million-jobs-within-next/
Recent news articles by US Media House CBS and the Associated Press highlight that after the US & UK War in Afganistan with the Taliban that cause much confusion and chaos in American and British Politics and civillian lives around the world efforts by are now being made by themselves, “the Taliban” to erradicate the highly addictive drug fields in Afganistan that have flooded the European Union with drugs before, during and after the war
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/taliban-afghanistan-campaign-poppy-crop-opium-heroin/
https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-politics-taliban-asia-d228b020cdc7538d3cf66c2e08a905fc
Welcome to the “Nanny State”.
“Nanny nanny boo boo…”, the motto of the Civil Service of the Cayman Islands.
Maybe, just maybe, the role of government is to protect the citizens and provide support when needed.
Perhaps some CS retirees? Neither my wife nor I saw any extra in our account with August pension. I’ll keep checking.
She, especially, could use it. Retiring after 21 years in a Managerial position with Govt., her pension is a “whopping” $440 per month!!….and we have to pay for our health care!
Hope that destroys the myth that all Govt retirees live on fat pensions and get free health care!!
No Caymanian has to pay for heath care. HSA can’t refuse to treat.
Strange, I know an expat couple where the wife worked in a Govt school,the husband self employed and she retired decades ago since when they have both recd free medical care from Govt.
5:52, you may call her/them expat but it is likely the wife (at least, probably both) has Status. Providing she put in a certain number of years service for Government, she (and her spouse) are entitled to the health benefits you refer to.
Remind me how I am meant to retire in 25yrs with my ponzi scheme payments when those already receiving theirs cannot make it through the month and need a $450 bonus that does f**k all?
Meanwhile…..let’s go to Columbia, let’s increase pensions for private sector workers, let’s jump off a cliff!!!!!!
Must be nice to work for or have worked for government.
Yes, it is nice to have a caring employer. You should try to find one. You should also consider unionising.
“This initiative is another example of how we, as a government, are helping our people survive the rising cost of living,” he said.
No it’s just another haphazard random hand out with no planning, means or needs tests and no long term thought. But great for vote buying.
It would take less time if you simply typed that you hate poor people
It’s the entitled that are the issue, not the poor.