Dear Claudienne

Please assist me in dealing with these two bread-and-butter issues.

I am 65 years old. I worked at the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) from 1967 to 1978 and then was transferred to a post in the Ministry of the Public Service (central government) in 1978. I resigned in September 1994.

At 60 years old I became eligible for a deferred pension, having resigned from the service some time ago.

However, central government claims that a portion of my service record cannot be found, hence the pension claim cannot be processed.

I have written to the Ministry of Finance and submitted all the relevant documents, but to date there is no progress.

My personal file at the KSAC is intact.

I am currently temporarily employed at a government office.

Please see what you can find out for me.

JM

Dear JM

Tell Claudienne contacted the Human Resources Department of the government agency at which you are temporarily employed. We learned that your service records were missing for the period when you worked with the Management Institution for National Development (MIND). It was explained that MIND was formed by combining three staff colleges for which the Ministry of Finance individually had oversight. The three staff colleges were: the Mandeville Training Centre, the Administrative Staff College and the Secretarial and Reporting College. You worked for the Secretarial and Reporting College from 1987 to 1994 when you resigned, but the records are missing.

The following suggestion was made by the HR department of the agency where you are now employed: the Finance Ministry link your years of service with central government and your current temporary employment (10 years) to determine your pension benefits. The Ministry said that for the link to be made, you would have to be appointed to the post in which you are temporaily acting. However, you are past the age limit to be appointed. The HR department said that your file has been sent to the Public Services Commission for them to determine if you can be appointed, despite your age. If the Commission determines that you cannot be appointed, the HR department said that the Finance Ministry would calculate your pension benefits based on the period 1978 to 1994 when you resigned. The HR department said that they would also apply for you to get a compassionate gratuity for your ten years of service to the agency.

Good luck.

Dear Claudienne

Could you kindly ask the Jamaica Public Service Company to repair the street lights at the corner of Downer Avenue leading from Lady Musgrave Road to Trafalagar Road to the intersection of Trafalgar Road and Worthington Avenue. These lights have not worked for some three years and the situation is very dangerous to motorists and pedestrians at night. The street light between 5& 9 Rutland Drive in Beverly Hills has also been not working since 2009.

BB

Dear BB

We spoke with the JPS and note that you said that the lights are now working.

Good luck.

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 936-9436 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail: edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.