Chuck says move to change retirement age for DPP, AuG started years ago

Justice Minister Delroy Chuck on Wednesday morning said that the Government's decision to amend the Pensions Act to facilitate the increase in retirement age for the director of public prosecutions (DPP) and the auditor general (AuG) was recommended years ago by the pension fund committee.

Chuck, who piloted the Bill through the House of Representatives on Tuesday amid strong resistance from the parliamentary opposition, made the revelation as he sought to defend the decision during a post-Cabinet press briefing.

The amendment is to move the age of retirement for the two public officials from 60 to 65 for the holders of the offices to “benefit from the increased retirement age”.

“Unfortunately the matter sat in the Ministry of Finance but only in recent time Cabinet directed… and to be fair the minister of finance looked at it and said this is a constitutional matter, the minister of justice should do it. Cabinet mandated that I should take it,” said Chuck.

He said once he took over he pushed to get it done “immediately”.

The Opposition signalled that it is considering a constitutional challenge to the Government's decision to “ram” the Bill through Parliament.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding also disclosed that he was not consulted on the matter.

“I'm very disappointed that the opposition and others should impute any motive why this amendment was done so quickly. It has been on the cards since 2016/2017,” he said.

He said suggestions by Golding in parliament that the current DPP Paula Llewelyn, KC, can overrule decisions by the Integrity Commission's director of corruption prosecution, and specifically in the pending matter of six politicians being investigated for illicit enrichment, are “unfair and unbecoming”.

He argued that Llewelyn during her tenure has exercised “integrity and commitment to her work”.

Llewelyn was in 2020 granted a three-year extension.

Asked why the decision to amend the Act was not done then, Chuck said that the finance ministry did begin consultation on the process.

He said that the Bill for amendment he brought to Parliament was the work of the finance ministry.

He said Minister of Finance Dr Nigel Clarke “got too busy” over the last two years and when the issue “finally” got to his attention he brought it to Cabinet.

- Kimone Francis

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