Protesters Rally Against Pension Reform in Barbados: Calls for Repeal of National Insurance and Social Security Act 2023
August 20, 2023
Barbadians continue to protest the National Insurance and Social Security (Amendment) Act 2023, advocating for repeal and changes to restore the viability of the National Insurance Fund.
For the second week, Barbadians protested the now passed National Insurance and Social Security (Amendment) Act 2023.
One of the organisers, Winston Clarke, said they were going to march every week if they had to.
“We will return for as long as it takes for Barbadians to be able to take part in governance to their benefit. This affects everyone and until we have a say in Parliament, we will continue,” he said.
Clarke said the ultimate goal was to get the act repealed as it had been passed since the last protest march. He said there were a few other things they wanted to happen as well which would bring the National Insurance Fund back into viability.
The act raised the pensionable age from 67 to 68.
“We will like the monies written off to be paid back,” he said, referring to the $1.3 billion in NIS funds that were written off as part of the debt restructuring exercise in 2018. (CA)