The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams joined pensioners and long time Civil Servants in celebrating their commitment and service to the Government and people of St. Maarten last Sunday at the Sonesta Great Bay Beach Hotel. In previous comments the Prime Minister stressed her commitment to ensuring that pensioners are able to live as comfortably as possible as part of her wider initiative in strengthening the Civil Service. "I want to place the focus both on government as a present and future employer. We often talk about the civil service but we should also focus on Government as a caring employer as well. So we will use this as a recurring theme in the future: 'What are WE doing for our workers, both current and former,'" emphasized the Prime Minister.
The PM has also stated that Government is taking significant steps to alleviate the financial burden placed on pensioners, especially with regards to the increase in the price of living. "When I go into a supermarket and realize the costs I ask myself what about those that rely on a fixed pension. That is why government continues to work hard at changing the law to change the indexation in addition to increasing the pension amount. We are also contemplating what we can do with regards to the high cost of living, which is effecting all of us in the community.
In addition to extending the option to apply in connection with the impending increase in the pension age, The Prime Minister has also emphasized the other employee related aspects on which Government is working on including time off for civil servants to spend time with their children in the school or on an educational project and the extension of maternity leave.
From the Cabinet of the Prime Minister
