Senator Brown calls for indexation of judges’ pension

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Opposition Senator Lambert Brown has called for the indexation of the pension of judges to ensure their standard of living is not eroded by inflation when they retire. Brown, a trade unionist, made the call in the Senate on Friday while contributing to the debate on the Pensions (Superannuation Funds and Retirement Schemes) (Investment) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026. The regulations expand the limits within which pension funds may invest in private assets. Brown pointed to the inflation rate which is running at 8.6 per cent year-to-date as indicated this week by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica, noting that it was having a greater impact on the poorest pensioners. “It has often been said that inflation is the wickedest tax on the poor. And what is clear to me is that pensioners are among the poorest. So the 8.6 per cent inflation year-to-date is affecting the poorest among the pensioners,” said Brown. Responding to an off-mic comment from Government Senator Aubyn Hill who is also the Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Brown said, “You’re right enuh Senator Hill, not everybody [is affected the same way] because some people pension is indexed. And I would like the day to come when our judges for example can benefit from the indexation of pension”. “If you can’t index it right away, at least review our judges’ pension at least every three years and top it up,” Brown added. The pension of former Jamaican prime ministers and their surviving spouses is pegged directly to the salary of the current Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness who receives a salary of approximately $28 million. The exception is Bruce Golding who receives two-thirds which is about $19 million. The indexation of pension is to ensure that the standard of living of retirees does not fall below what they enjoyed during their working years and that it is not eroded by inflation.