Ex-servicemen want pension

By YVONNE HAIP
AT least 900 former Correctional Services officers have called for the reinstatement of their pensions, which they claimed was stopped in June 2005.
The officers, who retired after serving more than 20 years with the service, said they had been given pension books on retirement and told they would be on pension.
The officers said their pensions had been stopped “unexpectedly” and without any warning.
They said they now found it hard to care for their families.
In a letter addressed to the CS commissioner, a copy of which was obtained by The National, the officers called for the reinstatement of their pensions.
They want the commissioner to explain why the pensions were stopped.
Copies of the letter have been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office, opposition leader and Goroka MP Thompson Harokaqveh, who is a warder’s son.
The officers had first written a letter last June but failed to get a reply.
One retired officer, James Temane, said withdrawing the pensions was unfair.
Speaking on behalf of other officers who have lost their pensions, he said on retirement they had been given K5,000 and told their pensions would be enough to look after for the rest of their lives.
He said the former officers had the right to know why their pensions had been stopped.
Former servicemen from the highlands region claimed the Ex-Servicemen’s Association had failed them.
They said the association was formed to help former servicemen receive their entitlements.
The group, which is part of more than 3,000 former servicemen who paid K250 to register with the association, said repeated attempts to get in touch with Port Moresby-based association president Teddy Ambing had failed.