A promise made by the Hon Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit, to increase non-contributory pension for citizens 70 years and over by 50% is being fulfilled.
This commitment was made by the Dominica leader at the 2016 Budget Address.
The increase was paid to the beneficiaries at the end of September 2016 as was promised.
The Government of Dominica also announced its plans to discuss with the Dominica Social Security (DSS) the possibility of increasing the minimum pension paid by the DSS.
It was expected that the agreement would have been reached by January 2017; however, Government is pleased to publish that the agreement has been reached with the DSS much earlier. The increase in the minimum pension also became effective this September, 2016. Those who are paid fortnightly would have already received their first payment.
This increase means that those DSS pensioners who are 70 years and over will receive the full EC$300.00 from the DSS and will not be receiving any further amount from the Government Non-contributory Programme.