Government’s legal team and attorneys representing the Public Workers Union, the Grenada Union of Teachers and the Grenada Technical and Allied Workers Union, in the case seeking to determine what pension law is applicable to public officers post February 1985, will have just over three months to file their closing submissions. At Thursday’s sitting of the High Court, when the substantive matter came up for hearing, October 29 was given as the deadline for filing closing submissions and the Court has reserved its decision.
The critical matter for the Court to determine is what pension law is applicable for public officers, after February 22, 1985. Government’s position is that pension payable to public officers is based on the National Insurance Act (NIS Act) for officers who entered the service after February 22, 1985. As such, retired public officers who started in the public service after that date, are paid pension in accordance with the NIS Act.
The unions on the other hand, contend that it is the 1958 laws that apply to the pension of public officers.
It is not in contention that individuals who started prior to February 22, 1985 are paid pension based on the Pensions Act CAP 233.
The Government’s Pension Engagement Committee, in its negotiations with the trade unions prior to the matter being taken to court, proposed a top-up of that NIS pension payment to ensure that no public officer went home with a pension of less than 70%.
