NOT LEFT OUT!

Employees of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) will soon hear how they
will be accommodated under the proposed Barbados Optional Savings
Scheme (BOSS).

Senior Technical Advisor to the Government of Barbados, Dr. Kevin
Greenidge, acknowledged the above as he responded to a question from a
worker at the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) about how
arrangements will be made for those in statutory corporations, who do
not have to go through the Ministry of the Public Service for their
pay, but who still desire to be a part of the programme.

Public officers and employees of state-owned enterprises were present
at the Wildey Gymnasium yesterday for the continuing sensitisation
meetings on the Barbados Optional Savings Scheme and there they sought
to have their questions answered by Dr. Greenidge, so that they can go
forward and make informed decisions about BOSS. The meeting was hosted
by President of the Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of
Barbados (CTUSAB), Edwin O’Neal and later attended by Prime Minister
Mia Amor Mottley.

“After this, bringing it to you the public and explaining what it is,
we actually have to meet as a team and go through all the logistics
and the Prime Minister is taking charge of that, because the area
where we don’t want to even slip is in implementation. So that will
come to you soon, in terms of exactly how the SOEs (will be dealt
with). But the principle is that the worker will signal his intent way
before payday of his choice and that choice will be honoured. So by
payday you get your cash or your preferred option,” Greenidge
explained.

Prime Minister Mottley, weighing in on the discussion, noted that SOE
workers who wish to be part of the BOSS, will be accommodated.

“There are some SOEs that are definitely in the programme and then
there are those like the Bridgetown Port, the Grantley Adams Airport
and the Caves of Barbados that are not in the programme, but we get
the message from the workers who want to be in the programme and
therefore we are going to try to see how we can give them some
preferential access, both to purchase current public servants’ bonds
who for whatever reason can’t take the bonds and then possibly between
that category of SOE worker and some pensioners who have expressed an
interest, see how we can give them priority for this particular bond,”
the Prime Minister revealed.

Noting that there is some work to be done at the Debt Management Unit
to allow for the accommodation, she later added, “So we will get back
to you with the exact amounts for the SOEs who are not dependent on a
subvention like the Port, Caves of Barbados, Grantley Adams and I was
about to say CBC, but CBC is asking still for some level of
subvention.”

“So we will get back to you on that. But SSA is included, so you will
get your option forms,” she said in response to the query. (RSM)