Retirement age adjustment is a good move

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I’ve always found it a bit odd that the retirement age for some key offices in Jamaica has remained at 60 years old when in various countries, including the United States, England, Ireland and Australia, the pensionable age for their equivalent is somewhere between 65 and 70 years old.

Indeed, there’s a trend where in recent years moves are being made to increase the retirement age. In fact, in the United Kingdom in March of this year, the government agreed with the conclusion in an independent report that the increase to state pension age from 66 to 67 is appropriate for the public sector, including the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) with a further potential increase to come.

I welcome the move by the Government of Jamaica to extend the retirement age for both the DPP and the auditor general.

My receptiveness of the decision to increase the retirement age of both offices to 65 with a possibility of an extension to 70 years is based on principle and not centred on personality. The principle being people often give the best of their service between 55 and 70, having already accumulated the experience necessary to navigate challenges presented by important offices.

I am of the view as well that both office holders, Paula Llewellyn and Pamela Monroe Ellis, are an asset to Jamaica and have performed well. This increases the extent to which I find bizarre opposition by the People’s National Party to an extension of the retirement age for the leader of the office of the DPP in particular.

Also, I find the partisan grandstanding by Mark Golding and company concerning this increase in the retirement age for the DPP and the AG as a bit shameful and unnecessary.

TANYA HYLTON