Public Officers from several Government Ministries/Departments and the Tobago House of Assembly benefitted from a series of training workshops that sought to equip the Officers with critical information in the processing of increments and pension and leave records to enable the timely payment of pensions and gratuities to retired Public Officers and Contracted employees.

The collaborative efforts of the Compensation Management Division within the Personnel Department and the Treasury Division of the Ministry of Finance have been pivotal in the delivery of this exercise which was based on a recommendation from the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC) and spanned over a seven (7) month period.

It is known publicly that retirees tend to experience prolonged delays in the processing of their retirement benefits, leading to financial uncertainty during this transitional period. Notwithstanding, the workshops were also designed to foster a deeper understanding and interpretation of the Personnel Department’s circulars in determining incremental points.

Before the commencement of some sessions that were hosted at the CPO Wellness and Conference Centre in October and November, the Chief Personnel Officer, Commander Dr. Daryl Dindial committed time to meet and engage with participants from the various Ministries/Departments to gain a first-hand account of their respective challenges.

The workshops trained over five hundred (500) personnel from Internal Audit, Accounts, Pension and Leave and Human Resource Management Units/Divisions in Ministries/Departments and the Tobago House of Assembly, and were intended to emphasise the critical importance of submitting accurate Pension and Leave records on a timely basis for processing in addition to, equipping the participants with tools to assist them with the accurate processing.

The anticipated outcome is a substantial improvement in the timelines associated with the submission and processing of Pension and Leave records, ultimately benefiting retirees. This commitment to leveraging technology is expected to streamline and expedite the overall process, contributing to greater efficiency and a more seamless experience for retirees awaiting the processing of their benefits.