TONGA - PUBLIC SERVANTS TAKE THEIR GRIEVANCES OVER 50% FROM THEIR RETIREMENT FUND

Thousands of public servants have step up their Petitions to the highest level, the King of Tonga, over refusal by their Retirement Fund Board (RFB) to assist their financial hardship by returning 50% of their own contributions to their retirement funds. The National Committee of the Public Service Association (PSA) decided yesterday, Monday 16 January, to take up their grievances to the highest level in Tonga.  Majority of the public servants believed that their RFB has unfairly disadvantage about 98.5% of law abiding public servants because of their insecurity over the 1.5% that may be dismissed from the public service. Using their rights under the Tongan Constitution, the public servants will be submitting on Friday 20 January a petition on their grievances to the King for consideration.Under their rights in the Public Service (Grievances & Dispute Procedures) Regulations, the public servants will also be submitting on the same day another Petition on their grievances to the Public Service Commission & Cabinet for settlement.  This petition is particular to their grievances over the Section on Dismissal in the Public Service Instruction Policy Regulation of the Public Service Act whereby all their benefits are forfeit if dismissed from the public service.  This is the Regulation that the RFB has used to disadvantage about 98.5% of the public servants from accessing 50% of their contributions in their retirement fund. The public servants will also be submitting a Petition to Parliament to amend the Regulations on “” under the Public Service Act and also Regulations on “appointing and removal of their Representatives” to the RFB and their “duties” under the RRB Act.  Regulations are approved by Cabinet.  However, if the Cabinet does not approve their Petition through the Public Service Commission to amend the Regulation on Dismissal, then their proposal is already in Parliament for consideration.The PSA will also challenge the decision made by their RFB on their request at the Supreme Court of Tonga in a judicial review.  The chair of the RFB is the Prime Minister of Tonga, Lord Tu’ivakano.It is expected that thousands of public servants throughout Tonga including the outer islands will join in submitting their petitions to the King, Parliament, PSC & Cabinet on Friday 20^th January 2012. The PSA has pledged in 2005 after the first national strike of public servants which lasted 6.5 weeks to do their utmost to avoid any industrial action through peaceful and meaningful negotiations with relevant parties under the Constitution and appropriate Laws of Tonga.  For more information, please contact the Secretary General of PSA on +(676) 26-080  - Advice press release TONGA PSA - 17 January 2012.