PM Terrance Drew introduces pension bills for Government Auxiliary Employees

St Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Terrance Drew introduced the first reading to the Government Auxiliary Employees (Amendment) Act and Pensions (Amendment) Act in the Parliament on Thursday, 17th April 2025. This marks a historic move, as the bills were brought to the parliament for the first time and will provide government auxiliary employees with a government pension.  

The Government Auxiliary Employees (Amendment) Act, 2025 has been proposed to amend the Section 7 of the existing legislation, allowing the GAEs, or the non-established workers to receive pension funds. The new bill outlines that employees over the age of 45 and under 55 will be eligible for the scheme. 

On the other hand, the Pensions (Amendment) Act, 2025 has been aimed at revising the Pensions Act, Cap 22.06 to streamline the pensions system across different workers including public servants and ensuring a more reliable retirement plan.  

Prime Minister recently discussed about the new bills at a local radio show where he emphasized the new bills as a ‘Groundbreaking legislation’. He specifically mentioned workers from different public services and called that government will ensure that they get what they deserve.  

“I'm speaking of the crossing guards. I'm speaking of those who are the environmental workers within the government system. Those who are GAE workers and, the those who maintain the drains. Those who are the maids at the hospital, and I use the word maids because that's the term people understand,” PM Terrance Drew said.  

He went ahead claiming that thousands of workers will see a significant improvement in their lives. He outlined that, “Only Labour government could have bought something about, could have bought.”  

This is to be noted that the St Kitts and Nevis Labour Party brought the reform in the Pension act in less than three years of them in leadership. The process was first started in 2012.  

Eligibility criteria to receive pensions for Government Auxiliary Employees

• Employees hired on or after May 18, 2012 must contribute to the Pensions Fund. 
• Employees hired before May 18, 2012—who couldn’t previously be appointed to the public service—are now allowed to opt in to the pension scheme. 
• Eligible employees must be over 45 years old but under 55 years old to contribute under the new provision.