Letter of the Day Pension double standard

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I WISH to make a public apology to Mr. Robert Solomon Henry of Lot 11, North Monticello Crescent, Spanish Town.

In your edition of March 15, 2001, he complained that having written to this office from May 13, 2000, he received no reply until January 31, 2001. On investigation, it was discovered that his complaint was factually correct and for that I wish to unreservedly apologise. Further investigation also reveals that Mr. Solomon Henry had a previous complaint with this office and it was the existence of his file which led to some confusion as that file could not be located.

However, as his complaint falls into a category of complaints, viz, the plight of Government employees in an acting capacity and their entitlement to a pension, it joined a long list of other complaints being addressed by our investigators. The error, however, which is unforgivable, is that the letter of acknowledgement, coming so late in the day, should have been accompanied by an apology or explanation, but I am happy to report to Mr. Henry that the investigator assigned, assures me that his investigations are almost complete and I shall shortly have a report for him.

In conclusion, it is ironical, firstly, that Mr. Henry's previous complaint was not initiated by him but arose from a letter he wrote to your newspaper on behalf of another pensioner, which letter was seen by my predecessor, Mr. Justice Kerr, and who contacted Mr. Henry thereby prompting that investigation; and secondly, on March 15, the very date that Mr. Henry's letter of complaint was published, this office received a letter of appreciation from a firm of lawyers whose client's efforts to wind up their father's estate after 21 years within the Administrator-General's Department, was concluded through the intervention of our investigator, four months and two days, between October 10, 2000 (date of complaint) and March 14, 2001 (date of completion.)

Finally, although I am aware that you will give this letter equal prominence, I propose to forward a copy of same to Mr. Henry, directly.

I am, etc.,

HOWARD HAMILTON, Q.C.

Public Defender

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