Lovell makes a commitment to shoring up Social Security Scheme with $20-million injection once UPP is elected
The United Progressive Party (UPP) is again pledging to place $20 million into the Social Security Scheme – once it is elected to office –to enable the timely payment of benefits to contributors.
For several years now, the Scheme has not been making on-time payments to pensioners, and those entitled to maternity and other benefits have had to wait, for months, to be paid.
UPP Political Leader Harold Lovell says the Gaston Browne Administration has not given the statutory body the financial attention it needs. This was confirmed in a letter from the Scheme’s Director, David Matthias, upon Lovell’s request for a breakdown of the Government’s contributions.
The Political Leader continues to insist that Government’s monthly contributions alone will not put the Scheme on the right financial footing.
Rather, as was negotiated under the UPP Administration in 2010, cash payments on the bond need to be made; and these will resume under a Lovell Administration, he promises.
He adds that the UPP will not hesitate to inject the required finances into the Scheme in order to make it viable.
Meanwhile, Lovell is critical of a recent statement by Government Spokesman Lionel “Max” Hurst.
In a now-viral recording, Hurst admits that, in 1976, the Antigua Labour Party Administration (ALP) met the Social Security Scheme with a great deal of money; hence, the Government freely borrowed these funds without repayment.
