Dear Editor,
Every year the Accountant General in the Ministry of Finance issues a circular to permanent secretaries and heads of department setting out the dates in each month of the ensuing year when salaries for government employees and pensions for retirees will be payable. In all cases, payment to employees is made at least two (2) days before that to pensioners, as is evident from the circular issued in respect of the year 2008 (copy enclosed).

Mr Editor, it is well known that a pension is an entitlement and is provided for under the relevant pensions legislation. A salary, on the other hand, is an earning, the provision of which has to be appropriated every year by Parliament.

Furthermore, since unlike most ministries and departments, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the National Insurance Scheme pay their pensioners in the first week of each month, we government pensioners therefore cannot understand what rationale is applied to pay salaries to government employees before pensions to beneficiaries.

In view of the above, we are seeking to ensure that all government pensioners receive their entitlement/pensions at the beginning, instead of the end of each month.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address  provided)