Pension injustice goes on

It is heartening to read that our Prime Minister and the Cabinet are discussing ways of improving a sustainable pensions system, especially by lauding second and even third tier pension schemes.

A number of us had indeed invested in a second tier pension scheme which we were awarded at the due time, in my particular case by the British Civil Service. However, when the time came for us to retire, our Maltese National Insurance Pension was reduced by the whole amount of our Service Pension, quoting a pension "ceiling" imposed by the Labour Government in 1979. Thankfully, nearly three years ago, in the Budget Speech, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and the Minister of Finance finally admitted that the State was doing an injustice to us Service Pensioners by having our overseas service pension deducted from our Maltese State Pension. Indeed, we call it "theft" rather than merely an injustice.

In order to redress this injustice, the 2008 Budget allowed us €465.87 a year to alleviate and to start eliminating this injustice, for which we all thanked them for this bold move to right a wrong we have been suffering since 1979. We were all hoping that this amount would be allowed every year until the anomaly is eliminated. However, the 2009 Budget, carrying on with this move, granted us a mere additional €200 a year, less than half the previous year's allowance, from our own overseas pensions. Although not what we were all expecting, at least we considered this to be another step in the right direction.

Sadly, the 2010 Budget had absolutely no further allowance at all for us long-suffering pensioners in order to continue with the process of eliminating this grave injustice. We are now hoping that the sad and admitted injustice will continue to be remedied in the Budget estimates for 2011. This is, after all, our own money; investments we made in our younger days to help us in this our old age.

One must remember that not all pensioners are restricted by this anomalous "ceiling" in their pension, as there are a number of "special case" pensioners who are allowed to receive, and indeed are in receipt of, additional pensions to the ceiling set in stone in 1979. It is about time that we receive all that is due to us from our investments in our younger days.