I owe an apology to the pensioners for the original stance I took, said Fiji National Provident Fund’s chairman from 2009 to May 2010, Parmesh Chand for reducing certain pensions for FNPF members back then.
In a public letter to Editor published in The Fiji Times, Mr Chand states FNPF was thinking about reducing certain pensions, and taking other measures, it felt to be in the interests of protecting its solvency.
“There was opposition from the pensioners who argued that if the FNPF followed through, it would be in breach of agreed procedures and committing a betrayal of trust,” he said.
“The FNPF’s ideas turned into plans, supported by the government of the day. These were implemented in 2012. Pensions were cut, some very substantially, while some of those affected took offers of lump sums, leaving them without any regular pension payments.”
Mr Chand said Decree 51 was introduced to stop pensioners using their right to appeal to the court system.
The Coalition Government has announced it will restore reduced pensions to their original rates.
“I affirm that I now support the pensioners.”
“I am confident the case presented by the pensioners in the current stage of their campaign will be successful in this new era of democracy.”
“I owe an apology to the pensioners for the original stance I took, and for the lateness of this statement.”
