Social Security says all outstanding pensions have been paid

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David Matthias, director of social security board (file photo)
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A promise to pay all its pensioners their outstanding payments have been met, the Antigua & Barbuda Social Security Board (ABSSB) has announced. 

The Director of the ABSSB, David Matthias, told Observer that the last set of pensioners who had been pleading for the payment of monies owed to them for the past two months, was paid on November 18th.

Matthias said the next payment will be made during the last week in December.

 “Our aim is to begin, as we normally do, on the last Monday in December,” he said.

Pensioners have been struggling with late payments for quite some time but the situation worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne said that unlike previous governments, his Antigua Barbuda Labour Party government has never borrowed from the retirement scheme, and has consistently paid its monthly premiums.

He said that due to the reduced workweek, unemployment and lay-offs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the contributions into the scheme have been significantly impacted, with government having to supplement the scheme with over $2 million on a monthly basis, in addition to its $3 million monthly contribution, in order for pensioners to be paid.

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