Bunting proposes raising retirement age of police officers to 65

 

Opposition Spokesman on National Security Peter Bunting is suggesting that the authorities consider allowing members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to retire at age 65.

 

Currently, members have to retire at age 60, while others can opt for early retirement after serving 30 years in the force.

 

Mr. Bunting, while acknowledging the stressful environment of policing, suggested that the option be given to members of the force who desire to retire at age 65.

 

"Because there were many people who had families overseas, who worked really well, etc, who wanted to go off.... However, I think for those who opt, they should also be allowed to go to age 65 like everyone else," he said. "Because oftentimes when you retire at 60 and you are going to live to 90 or 80, that pension, the real-time value of the pension diminishes over the years. So when you make someone retire five years early, by the time they are 65 or 67, that little pension can hardly pay for their medical bills."

 

Mr. Bunting was speaking Tuesday at the annual conference of the Jamaica Police Federation.