Ex-CBC team still awaiting pension payments

Former employees of the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) are asking for an urgent intervention from the Minister of Broadcasting and Public Affairs, Wilfred Abrahams to correct an “injustice”, which for two years has prevented them from receiving thousands owed in pensions and gratuity.

In a letter sent out on Monday, October 4, former News Editor Peter Thorne beseeched Minister Abrahams to demand that a senior member of staff, who is the administrator of the CBC pension fund, submit the necessary documentation to the Insurance Corporation of Barbados Limited (ICBL).

He claims that her failure to fulfill this duty, is in direct contravention of a December 27, 2019 order from the trustees of the fund and six declarations from the Financial Services Commission (FSC) in favour of the former workers’ entitlement at age 55 to the proceeds of the pension plan.

Thorne, who has been the spokesman for the frustrated ex-workers further complained that the corporation’s refusal to deliver the monies is a breach of the Occupational Pension Benefits Act, Cap 350 B, which requires payment to policyholders within 30 days of application.

Approximately two dozen former workers are reportedly affected by the issue.

“What is unfolding here in law is a tort, a wrong, a travesty that needs correcting now, this month,” Thorne declared in his letter to Minister Abrahams.

“What I believe is needed is for a directive to be given from on high to [the pension plan administrator] to submit the paperwork to ICBL for the ex-employees forthwith so they can be paid, failing which, she should be dismissed because she has had over two years to do so and at each and every turn she has refused to comply with the pension laws of Barbados,” the former editor added.

Furthermore, Thorne accused the corporation’s management of being “afraid” to hold the administrator’s feet to the proverbial fire, allowing her, and by extension, the corporation to “get away with murder”.

He maintained that the last-ditch effort to engage the minister was after exhausting all others in the chain of command at the CBC. He added that even the ICBL has affirmed their pension rights, but stated that under law, they can only release the funds under instruction from CBC.

“What I perceive to be happening is that the administrator is only paying people leaving CBC that are in its current employ, but not those that have built the place to what it is, and the trustees, Mr Rod London, (who has since resigned) and Wallenstein Rawlins have also written several times this year urging her to submit the paperwork and have the people paid in compliance with the pension laws of Barbados which CBC has been breaching for years now,” Thorne explained.

He suggested that the last chairman Chris Decaires tried his best but became frustrated after there was a refusal to comply with his directives and instead a high-profile attorney was engaged to deal with the matter at substantial costs to CBC,” he added.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CBC, Sanka Price indicated he was busy when contacted by this newspaper, but promised to address the issues at the earliest opportunity.

Minister Abrahams, to whom the matter has now been referred, confirmed that he was aware of the situation, but up to press time had not responded to additional questions sent via WhatsApp.

Among the affected CBC ex-staffers is 60-year-old Michael Culpepper who applied for his pension in September 2019, but only received formal acknowledgement almost a year later in August 2020.

To date, the former Senior Video Editor who left the Corporation in 2004 after 22 years of service still has not received his pension. He claims when he finally reached the CEO, he was informed that all matters relating to pension must be dealt with by the administrator.

“We worked at this place but it’s like we are forgotten people. Why are you only giving people who are recently retired a pension when other people who contributed to the cause as well are being sidelined? I don’t understand it and that is why we are trying to get to the bottom of this matter, because really and truly it is amazing,” Culpepper told Barbados TODAY.

“I am not asking for anything extravagant. I am asking for what I rightly deserve. I am not asking for the crown jewels and the whole works. The sum may not be the greatest in the world, but in this day and age, every cent counts. Give me what I rightly deserve,” he added.
(kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb)