Office Attendants and Chauffeurs should be made pensionable

EDITOR: The Independence speech by the Prime Minister offered many goodies as we would normally say and I guess many persons stand to benefit. However, year after year, there is a class of workers who continue to be overlooked and they are the Office Attendants.

The Office Attendants and some chauffeurs working with the government are classed as civil servants, yet they remain non-pensionable workers. Which means whenever they retire, they don’t have any pension to receive except what they would get from the National Insurance Service (NIS).

Old people say that ‘Donkey say that the world ain’t level’. Imagine the Office Attendants have to deliver and receive mail through rain or sun. They serve a very, very important function, for without them delivering and receiving mail, projects would be stalled and also communication between ministries and other government functions would not be possible. Yet they are not pensionable, while those who are in air conditioned offices all day and do not have to go out in the rain or sun or the heat are pensionable.

Yes those higher ranks are more academically qualified than the Office Attendants and the chauffeurs, but without them their work would become difficult. The chauffeurs go from point A to point B transporting workers and other civil servants in a higher bracket who must visit certain projects and places. So, we have to agree that they are no less important than those in the higher brackets in the civil service.

Everyone plays an important role and none is more important than none. They all come together playing their part in the working environment. So while the other civil servants are guaranteed a pension, the poor Office Attendants and chauffeurs go home without a pension, except the NIS, which is paid based on the person’s contribution and also when the retired Office Attendants and chauffeurs reach the age of 63 and it is likely to go higher than 63.

It is time that we address these sectors of workers. How can you class them as civil servants and yet they are not pensionable? The time has come that this wrong be made right. After someone completes his/her probation and is appointed to the post, such a worker is then considered a civil servant and so to have a level playing field, they should be made pensionable.

Let us hope that sooner than later, our hard working Office Attendants who not only deliver and receive mail, but also do filing and other chores in the office be made pensionable. Thanks for allowing me the space.

Kennard King