Our retired, retrenched public servants deserve much better

THIS article is in reference to the announcement by Nambawan Super to all its members early this month about the massive increase of 9
per cent interest rate for its members.
Although most members were happy about the massive increase in their savings, some of the employees’ deductions have not remitted to Nambawan Super and we are crying in silence.
Is it legally right for any government department or agency to divert employers’ and employees’ contributions to other needed areas?
The interest rate is calculated accordingly to how much a person has in his/her saving accounts.  The more a person saves the more he or she will receive and vice versa to those who have less.
The actions of government departments and agencies are safeguarded by General Orders and Staff Determination and if they are in breach of items stipulated in them are they liable for it.
Does Nambawan Super have protocols in place to penalise those organisations that knowingly breach the Public Sector General Orders and Staff Determinations?
In such uneven economy when fortnightly earnings can hardly be saved for future investment mandatory deductions for savings has not to be diverted to meet other shortfalls,  it is absolute depriving one’s right to save for better future.
Financial institutions are profit oriented organisations that on a daily basis bring in innovative ideas to become competitive in the financial market to increase their turnover rates and if the employers overlook their officers, Nambawan Super will not pay the members in retrospect.
Some of the established institutions have not remitted the members’ contributions and we were not covered by the massive 9 per cent interest rate offered by Nambawan Super this year.
Upon seeing the interest rate being offered an officer who was with one of the public offices retrieved his balance statement from Nambawan Super and to his surprise current balance at that time was only K2500.
Irrespective of serving two years his contribution was not remitted.
The current balance showed for only 10 fortnights, one and half year’s contribution was not remitted by the organisation.
And worse still, if an officer tenders his resignation, how will they be paid their savings with the interest?
And are they going to wait for another 10 years for their employer to remit their contributions?
The retiring and retrenched public servants are those old people and for an organisation to overlook their services is outrageous and a slap on their faces.
Is the Government monitoring the departmental heads to appreciate their officers’ services by way of advising them to remit officers contributions on time?
How will service delivery mechanisms be effective when public servants’ savings are not remitted on time and worth nothing?
There is no life after death for all human races and when they resign from employment they must live happy and decent lives.

Jeffsatu, Lypin Lokait
Port Moresby