ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Government pensioners have begun receiving a four percent increase in their monthly payment under a new contract agreement signed earlier this year, the Ministry of Finance has said.
The agreement was signed with the Grenada Union of Teachers (GUT) in March and three months later with the Public Workers Union (PWU).
“The Ministry of Finance advises pensioners that their September 2023 pension payment has been updated to reflect the four percent increase for the 2024 period. The four percent increase applies from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023, consistent with the increase agreed upon for public sector workers.”
The ministry also said that pensioners’ short payment for the period January 1, 2023, to August 31, 2023, will be paid by the next pay cycle on October 15 this year.
The new collection agreement allows public officers to receive a 13 percent increase for 2023-25. Under the agreement, for the years 2023 and 2024, public officers will receive a four percent hike, respectively, and five percent for the year 2025.
The Pension Act provides for all public officers who have served in a pensionable office to be granted a pension from the government upon retirement.
However, as of April 1984, the then People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG), led by the left-wing prime minister Maurice Bishop, approved the Pension Disqualification Act, which said that any person who is appointed to a post in service of government of Grenada on or after April 4 1983 shall not be entitled to any pension, gratuity or other allowance under the Pensions Ordinance, Pensions (Prison Officers) Ordinance, Pensions (School Teachers) Ordinance, and Police Pensions Ordinance.
A High Court in March last year ruled that the 1984 law violated pensioners’ constitutional rights, and as a result, pensions to public officers were reinstated. There are currently an estimated 3,000 pensioners in the system.
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