A public letter addressed to government authorities is drawing attention to serious concerns about prolonged delays at the Treasury and what the writer describes as fundamentally unfair retirement compensation practices for non-established workers, according to Antigua News Room.
The letter, published by Antigua News Room, notes that while the Government recently announced the assignment of officials to various Ministries to help expedite the processing of invoices and related documents, many Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments maintain that the core problem lies within the Treasury itself. Vouchers reportedly sit unprocessed for months — and in some cases, years — while documents are frequently misplaced or lost entirely.
The letter's author cites a telling personal example. A friend who reached retirement age brought his documents to the Treasury for processing, only to be instructed to take them back home and return on his birthday. The author argues this approach is both inefficient and unreasonable, suggesting instead that the Treasury should retain the documents and simply ask the retiree to return on his birthday to collect his cheque.
The author also questions why Ministries and Permanent Secretaries are not held accountable for ensuring that all necessary documentation is processed and payments delivered to employees by their retirement date — a standard upheld by statutory bodies and many private sector organisations. The friend reportedly made multiple visits to the Treasury over several months, and it remains unclear whether he has received his payment. A growing perception, the letter states, is that without connections within the system, individuals face significant delays in receiving what is rightfully theirs.
Equally troubling, according to the letter, is the treatment of non-established workers at retirement. Although the retirement age has been raised to 65, these workers are only compensated for 33⅓ years of service. The author argues this is deeply unjust: a worker who begins employment at age 18 and retires at 65 would have contributed approximately 47 years of service, yet receives payment for only 33⅓ years — effectively losing compensation for 14 years of work.
The letter draws a sharp contrast with employees at organisations such as APUA, as well as teachers, police officers, civil servants, and other statutory body workers, all of whom are compensated for their full years of service. The author further notes that both the Government and the Antigua Trades and Labour Union have collected dues from non-established workers throughout their working lives, yet have remained silent on this disparity.
The letter closes with a firm call to action, asserting that timely payment of retirees and fair compensation for all years worked are not privileges, but fundamental expectations of a just system.
