Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says the Ministry of Local Government will be making the necessary legislative amendments to the retirement age for Municipal Council employees.
In a press conference, Rabuka said this is based on a decision taken following a request from the workers and the Municipal Councils, to increase the retirement age from 55 to 60 years.
Rabuka said retirement ages are normally voluntary, and they would like to get away from compulsory retirement where people exercise proper financial discipline during their working years and when they get to retirement age, they can go into retirement comfortably with a pension scheme.
“With the coalition Government’s policy to change the retirement age for civil service to 60 years, it is important that a similar initiative is reflected in the Local Government Act.”
The Prime Minister indicated that Government through the Ministry of Local Government will be presenting a legislative amendment paper to Parliament soon.