Governor demands accountability from GERS: Pay retirees their bonuses!

The Government Employees Retirement System owes retirees millions in unpaid bonuses, Governor Kenneth Mapp said Thursday.

The Governor, who has met with retirees in both districts in recent weeks, outlined his concerns about unpaid bonuses in a letter to GERS Administrator Austin Nibbs. The Governor explained that Virgin Islands law requires the Lottery Commission to transfer funds annually to GERS for the payment of bonuses to retirees by November 30 of each year. The Lottery Commission has transferred more than $3.9 to GERS since Fiscal Year 2015.

“Given the receipt by GERS of over $3.9 million for retiree bonuses, I am requesting of you a report of the last bonus payments made to retirees by GERS pursuant to Title 3, Virgin Islands Code, section 729b,” the Governor wrote. “This statute mandates that GERS pay these bonus payments by November 30 of each year. If bonus payments have not been made pursuant to law since receiving these funds, what is the status of the funds received?”

The Governor acknowledged in his letter to Nibbs that the Lottery Commission was behind in its payments to GERS and he has instructed Lottery Executive Director Juan Figueroa Sr. to develop a plan to the pay the outstanding balance.

“Once I receive a proposed payment plan from the Lottery Commission to pay the arrears, I will share this information with the GERS so we can appropriately inform qualified annuitants when they can expect to receive the bonuses due and owing to them,” Governor Mapp wrote.

Legislation approved in 2009 granted retirees an annual bonus payment in order to help offset the rising cost of living.

“It is critical we resolve this,” the Governor said. “Retirees must be paid their bonuses!”