It has been an interesting journey! Forty consultations held within the Federation to canvass the views of residents and citizens about their Social Security. Another series of meetings ongoing within the workplaces, schools, churches. Add to that the many radio and TV productions and the one-on-one discussions too numerous to mention. Forget the cursing on the street within earshot of the committee members, but focus on what was being said. The public discussions on Social Security Reform are over, now the process of sorting out is about to begin.
What did we learn? We learnt that everybody loves Social Security! Some are happy that they love social Security (the pensioners); some grudgingly love Social Security (beneficiaries) and some hate that they love Social Security (those who have never claimed). But everybody loves Social Security. Thirty years of service has allowed us to touch everyone within this Federation and that touch, thought bitter initially has turned golden for many of us. We received some truly wonderful testimonies, unsolicited – from the working man and woman and from the retirees.
We learnt that nobody really wants to kill social security – everybody wants it to live a long and healthy life. Of course, if we could achieve this without paying, we would all be happier! But we know and accept that this cannot happen, so people offered suggestions as to how much sacrifice they would be prepared to make in order to give social security the sustenance that it needs.
We learnt that Social Security is above politics. Maybe it was because all of us came together across party lines and party affiliations to tackle issues together as citizens and residents of St Kitts and Nevis. Whatever the reason, it was refreshing to see that we could all agree even when we disagreed! We were not disagreeable.
We learnt that the people of St Kitts and Nevis have matured. Give us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth and we can conquer any problem we face. Twenty five years of Independence, comprehensive and universal secondary education and improved health care has given us tremendous self esteem and an unshakeable confidence that we can move forward on our own. Social Security, as Minister Condor always reminds us, is our money, generated by us, managed by us to be used by us for our benefit. None of it came from overseas. ‘Is we ting!’ All $900 million or so of it. What would St Kitts and Nevis be like without Social Security?
We learnt that we do not need consultants to do things for us. Let’s rephrase that. We learnt that we can do for ourselves what we have been hiring others to do for us over the years. We are fixing Social Security without any foreign consultants, public relations firm and no international organizations telling us how to do it. We’re doing it ourselves.
We learnt that everybody has an opinion but few want to come to the public meetings. So we found new and novel ways of getting the word out.
We learnt that people do read and understand what they read!
We discovered that the answer is no longer blowing in the wind, but resides in our collective minds. That discovery was most refreshing!
So what now? We will distill all the ideas that you have given us to see how much good they will do. We promise to phase in any changes over time to make them as painless as possible. Do not expect therefore to see big changes come January 1st 201. We will creep, then crawl, then walk, then run. We have a conscience after all and we too live here, work here and are affected by what happens here.
So thanks. A big thank you to the Government for their courage in agreeing to such openness. A big thank you to the Board of Directors of Social Security for opening up itself to intense scrutiny. A big thank you to the members of the Committee for their national service. A big thank you to the staff of Social Security who gave up their lime time and family time to go to work at nights. A big thank you to those who participated, who read, who wrote, who responded, who prepared the snacks. Thanks to the churches, the newspapers, the internet providers, the radio and television stations. And the biggest thank you for the confidence that you placed in me to lead this exercise. I trust that I, we, did you proud. So take a bow Eugene, Oscar, Llewellyn, Patricia, Diane, Adina, Clifford, Damion, Carlyle and Ambassador Hazelle. You too, Walter, Sephlin, Powell, Marilyn, Steve, Rubie, Damien, Kamilah, Chesil and all the other staffers. Paulette, Peggy and Donovan were the power source for statistics. Minister Condor and Chairman Hendrickson gave us the room to operate. We didn’t have to look over our shoulders, we didn’t have to mind our words. Free rein was great!
Our job is not yet done. We must report to you after the Actuary has done his analysis. We must report to you on our operations each year. And we must continue to educate and inform so that newcomers can be as empowered as we have become. No more mystery, no more hiding and dodging. One talk show host called for annual general meetings from henceforth. Yes, we can. Consider it done.
When the Actuary has completed his sensitivity analyses, then the Board passes the baton to the Minister for him and his colleagues to choose what will be done when and how. Then he hands off to Parliament for the final debate before proposals become law. I expect that proper account will be taken of the times in which we operate and careful choices will be made.
Meanwhile, the lines of communication remain open. Still call us, still write to us, still visit us, still engage us and above all, still pay your contributions. We’ll leave the beacon light on and pray that God continues to bless us all!
