Editor,

Reference is made to the article, "Pensioners criticise new pension bill” (The New Times, February 25).

This law brings nothing really new: it increases the retirement age from 55 to 60; it has extended the average period from 3 to 5 years. If you have got a lump sum they have to cut all the money before getting monthly benefits instead of deducting a small amount.

The actuarial study is not new; it has always been there. This law is an anti-social law; it has to be checked, because lawmakers only endorse what is brought to  them and they never care about citizens’ concerns.

The raising of benefits is provided for in the existing law; why does nobody ask about it? They now want to raise the contributions; have you ever considered looking into their financial statements to see their revenues and expenses, and what they give to pensioners?

Namara

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How canone say that this law has brought answers to pensioners; don’t you see that things are worsening? The reform serves to help the fund that is poorly managed not the pensioners.

Everybody should be concerned about this law as we shall need the fund in one or another way.

Nyakuri

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Of course, lawmakers are happy with this law—they have good salaries, they will get good retirement benefits, and they don’t care about poor pensioners. They allow military and police forces to retire at 50, but for us they raise to 60years; they are not concerned about the effects of this law and the restructuring.

The fund wants to increase contributions due to bad management; they don’t care. We hope that our beloved President will intervene for the sake of the people.

Karasira

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It’s a pity to see, in a country with a policy prone to market liberalisation, such a law being adopted by Parliament—protecting the underperforming (in many aspects) public company against your own people.

We are missing the big picture by focusing on short-term benefits to Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB).

David