March 2024
04Mar

Revolutionizing Retirement: How TWPS is Pioneering Pension Participation in Jamaica

In a groundbreaking move, the Tourism Workers Pension Scheme (TWPS) is setting a new standard for pension schemes, aiming to significantly boost retirement participation among Jamaica's tourism workers. Differentiated by its inclusivity of both employed and self-employed individuals and bolstered by government support, TWPS is driving towards a membership goal of 20,000 in the current year, overcoming initial setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Unique Features and Strategic Goals The TWPS stands out by covering workers in the private sector, with...

March 4, 2024
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August 2023
02Aug

Bill extending retirement age of DPP, AuG now in effect – Jamaica Observer

The Bill extending the tenure of the director of public prosecutions (DPP) and the auditor general (AuG) came into effect on Monday, July 31 after it was signed by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen. Despite objections from Opposition Members of Parliament last week, the constitution was amended by legislators to increase the retirement age of the DPP and the AuG. The current DPP, Paula Llewellyn, will be 63 this September. Both she and the AuG were appointed in the same year,...

August 2, 2023
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July 2023
20Jul

Only 18% of Jamaican workers in a pension arrangement

Only 18 per cent of Jamaican workers are currently in a pension arrangement, a figure  which needs to be increased if the country is to avoid a high rate of poverty among an ageing population in the future, according to local experts in the pensions industry. Sonya Goffe, President of the Pensions Industry Association of Jamaica (PIAJ) said the organisation’s mandate is to advocate for an increase in the number of Jamaicans who will receive a pension and to educate...

July 20, 2023
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14Jul

Jamaica. NIS a regressive use of public funds – IDB executive

Labour lead specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Professor David Kaplan has described the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) as a “regressive use of public funds”. Kaplan was addressing the annual luncheon of the Pension Industry Association of Jamaica (PIAJ) at Hotel Four Seasons in St Andrew yesterday. Responding to a question, following his keynote address, Kaplan pointed to deficiencies in the system. “It does seem that there is an imbalance between what people are contributing to the system and what they...

July 14, 2023
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June 2023
22Jun

Jamaica. Increases in NIS pensions

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security is reporting that the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pensioners started receiving their increases in June. Addressing Wednesday’s post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Portfolio Minister, Pearnel Charles Jr, said the pension rate increases range from 23 to 76 per cent under the National Insurance Scheme. “We are very pleased to report that our NIS pensioners began receiving their increases on June 15. It is very important for us to make sure that our pensioners...

June 22, 2023
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15Jun

Jamaica. Opposition concerned about pensions fraud probe launched at labour ministry

Opposition Spokesperson on Labour and Social Security, Dr Angela Brown Burke, has expressed deep concern over recent allegations regarding a pension fraud probe at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in which hundreds of millions of taxpayers' money have gone missing. Reports are that internal audits at the ministry revealed that money paid out under the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) is more than twice the amount which should have been paid based on the pension order books issued by...

June 15, 2023
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May 2023
25May

Jamaica. No big pension increase for former prime ministers

Prime Minister Andrew Holness' decision to decline his 214 per cent salary increase and keep his yearly $9 million pay is binding on all former and future heads of government, the administration has disclosed. The figure is critical for former prime ministers in particular because their pension is tied to the salary of the current officeholder. There are three living former prime ministers - PJ Patterson, Portia Simpson Miller, and Bruce Golding. Information Minister Robert Morgan made the clarification at a post-Cabinet...

May 25, 2023
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April 2023
27Apr

Jamaica. Minister of Labor announces increases to NIS benefits

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Karl Samuda, has announced significant increases for National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pensioners and other contributors to the scheme. Samuda made the announcement on Wednesday during his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives. He said the old age or retirement, the invalidity and the widows and widowers pensions will move from $3,400 to $4,200 per week, a 23 per cent increase for those receiving full-rate pensions. At the same time, pensioners who...

April 27, 2023
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November 2022
14Nov

Jamaica. Automatic pension enrolment will save retirees

85 per cent of UK workers now pensionable vs 18 per cent in Jamaica With about 18 per cent of Jamaica's working population having a pension plan, the retirement crisis persists and this situation should be of grave concern to the Government and all taxpayers. Jamaica has an ageing population which is increasingly at risk of pension poverty, ie inadequate retirement income. As such, I am recommending the automatic or mandatory enrolment of eligible employees in a workplace pension plan. This would...

November 14, 2022
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October 2022
05Oct

Jamaica. National Insurance Fund reaches $143 billion

The National Insurance Fund (NIF), the source from which pensions and other benefits under the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) are paid, saw double-digit growth in the fiscal year ended March 2021. In a new update provided by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS), the Jamaica Observer learnt that as at March 31, 2022, the net asset value of the fund stood at $143.424 billion, representing year-over-year growth 14.13 per cent. The NIF is funded by national insurance contributions, with...

October 5, 2022
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