Pensions Act Bill passes unanimously

A Bill to amend the Pensions Act to allow pensionable status to those transferring from a pensionable Police or Customs job to a Government one has been passed unanimously in Parliament.

The Bill to amend the Pensions Act, published on Monday, sets out the following: 

If a police or customs officer is transferred under "exceptional circumstances" as approved by the Government, to a Government Department, Statutory Authority, or Agency, or any wholly owned Government company or corporation, provided it is one that has been listed in the Gazette, then any pension, gratuity, or allowance to which that person was entitled at the time of transfer will continue to apply as if the person were still serving in the police force or customs, provided the Governor acting on the advice of the Government approves.

GBC has asked the Government what constitutes "exceptional circumstances" and who determines what they are?

Whether the transfer of pensions only applies to those transferring to Government jobs from the police force or customs, and not from anywhere else?

And whether this amendment has come about to support the Whistleblowers who transferred out of the RGP to Government jobs?

GBC also asked the Government, whether 22 whistleblowers, highlighted in the McGrail Inquiry, had their pensions transferred when they were offered Government jobs? And if not, whether this law retrospectively applies to them?

We also asked whether there have been any further whistleblowers, since the reconvened hearing in April last year, who will benefit from this scheme? If so, how many?

In response, the Government said the Bill will be debated in Parliament in the usual way and that it would not be appropriate for the Government to address or comment on the detail of the Bill, in advance of that parliamentary process.

As it turned out, there was little debate and the Bill was passed unanimously.

Two supplementary appropriation bills passed by Government majority, with the Opposition abstaining.