1:44 PM |
Title – 7561 FIJI: Pensioners launch website to inform public about cutbacks
Date – 1 August 2011
Byline – None
Origin – Pacific Media Watch
Source – Save Fiji Pensions, 1/8/11
Copyright – SFP
Status – Unabridged
----------------------------
* Pacific Media Watch Online - check the website for archive and links:
* Post a comment on this story at PMW Right of Reply:
* Pacific Media Centre on Twitter - http://twitter.com/pacmedcentre
FIJI PENSIONERS LAUNCH WEBSITE TO INFORM PUBLIC ABOUT CUTBACKS
SUVA (Save Fiji Pensions/Pacific Media Watch): Fiji's pensioners launched a website today to make information available about the government's intention to cut their superannuation payments by two thirds. The website can be accessed at fijipensioners.com or savefijipensions.com
All workers in Fiji compulsorily belong to the Fiji National Provident Fund and all employers compulsorily contribute to each worker member's account. No other superannuation schemes were permitted after the FNPF was established in the 1960s.
When FNPF members retire, they can take their savings in a lump sum, but an excellent "pension" payment was offered to encourage people to leave the bulk of their funds and take monthly payments. The FNPF was responsible for making sound investments with the members' contribution money.
Under pressure from previous governments, the FNPF board, which is charged with looking after the members' interests, was pressured into a series of unwise investments that have lost many millions of dollars.
About three months ago, the FNPF management announced that the pensions were to be cut by two-thirds, even though the FNPF pension is a superannuation payment, and not a state pension.
The cut in payments would plunge many pensioners into poverty, at an age where they have few alternatives for earning income.
A 70-year-old pensioner, David Burness, and a group of others have begun a class action to take the matter to court, while the government has delayed the decree to cut the pensions, originally due on 1 July, to September.
The government and FNPF have access to the media and have made statements and placed advertisements accusing those objecting to the cut in superannuation of being merely "self interested".
However, media censorship is still operating in Fiji and has prevented the FNPF members from giving statements and information about the severe disadvantages and injustices current and future pensioners face, leaving many in ignorance.
They have launched the website as a means of informing people about the situation.
All workers in Fiji compulsorily belong to the Fiji National Provident Fund and all employers compulsorily contribute to each worker member's account. No other superannuation schemes were permitted after the FNPF was established in the 1960s.
When FNPF members retire, they can take their savings in a lump sum, but an excellent "pension" payment was offered to encourage people to leave the bulk of their funds and take monthly payments. The FNPF was responsible for making sound investments with the members' contribution money.
Under pressure from previous governments, the FNPF board, which is charged with looking after the members' interests, was pressured into a series of unwise investments that have lost many millions of dollars.
About three months ago, the FNPF management announced that the pensions were to be cut by two-thirds, even though the FNPF pension is a superannuation payment, and not a state pension.
The cut in payments would plunge many pensioners into poverty, at an age where they have few alternatives for earning income.
A 70-year-old pensioner, David Burness, and a group of others have begun a class action to take the matter to court, while the government has delayed the decree to cut the pensions, originally due on 1 July, to September.
The government and FNPF have access to the media and have made statements and placed advertisements accusing those objecting to the cut in superannuation of being merely "self interested".
However, media censorship is still operating in Fiji and has prevented the FNPF members from giving statements and information about the severe disadvantages and injustices current and future pensioners face, leaving many in ignorance.
They have launched the website as a means of informing people about the situation.
* Read Professor Wadan Narsey's articles on FNPF:
* Comment on this item: pmediawa@aut.ac.nz
+++niuswire
PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE
PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is a media and educational resource compiled by the AUT Pacific Media Centre for the Pacific region.
(c)1996-2010 Creative Commons
Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit educational service. Copyright remains the property of the original producers as indicated in the header. Recipients should seek permission
from the copyright owner for any publishing. Copyright owners not wishing their materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The views expressed in material listed by PMW are not necessarily the views
of PMW or the Pacific Media Centre.
For further information or joining the Pacific Media Watch listserve, visit:
Email:
Fax: (+649) 921 9987
SnailMail: Pacific Media Centre, School of Communication Studies, AUT
University, Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142, Aotearoa/New Zealand
Website: www.pacmediawatch.aut.ac.nz
_______________________________________________
Pacific_Media_Watch nius mailing list
_______________________________________________
Pacific_media_watch_list mailing list
Pacific_media_watch_list@aut.ac.nz
http://mailman.aut.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/pacific_media_watch_list
--
----------------------------------------
pacific islands media association
pima.nius@gmail.com
aotearoa, new zealand
----------------------------------------
The pima.nius googlegroup is a facility for discussion and distributing information regarding the Pacific Islands Media Association (PIMA). Content sent by this googlegroup are forwarded from various networks and media publications to keep you informed about aspects of the media industry.
These emails are unedited and discussions made through this googlegroup are unmoderated. Announcements made through this googlegroup do not constitute endorsement for the organisations, individuals or opinions featured. Please check the integrity of organisations and individuals before exchanging personal information with them.
--
----------------------------------------
pacific islands media association
pima.nius@gmail.com
aotearoa, new zealand
----------------------------------------
The pima.nius googlegroup is a facility for discussion and distributing information. Content sent by this googlegroup are forwarded from various networks and media publications.
DISCLAIMER: These emails are unedited and discussions made through this googlegroup are unmoderated. Announcements made through this googlegroup do not constitute endorsement for the organisations, individuals or opinions featured. Please check the integrity of organisations and individuals before exchanging personal information with them.
- - - - - - - - -
comment here:
http://groups.google.com/group/pima-nius/topics?hl=en
send an email comment here:
pima-nius@googlegroups.com
unsubscribe:
pima-nius+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
more options
http://groups.google.com/group/pima-nius?hl=en?hl=en
- - - - - - - - -
0 comments:
Post a Comment