Retirement age of Municipal Council employees to increase to 60 years

The retirement age of Municipal Council employees will increase from 55 to 60 years as Cabinet has approved that appropriate legislative amendments be made to change the retirement for these employees.

While making an announcement on decisions following yesterday's cabinet meeting, Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka says this follows a request from the workers and the Municipal Councils.

He says retirement ages are normally voluntary and they would like to get away from compulsory retirement were people exercise proper financial discipline during their working years and when they get to retirement age, they can go into retirement comfortably with a pension scheme.

Rabuka says with the coalition Government’s policy to change the retirement age for civil service to 60 years, it is important that a similar initiative is reflected in the Local Government Act.

He says the Ministry of Local Government will be making the necessary legislative amendments in the coming weeks.