Column: Tucker On Child Support & More
[Opinion column written by MP Robin Tucker]
Retirees have seen and continue to see their costs go up. They have served Bermuda, contributed to our public institutions, and waited a long time for the long-promised pension increase. Premier Burt recently noted that the freeze on pension adjustments was tied to the unsustainable condition of the Public Service Superannuation Fund – and he is correct that action was needed.
With the fund now reportedly on a more stable path, the Government recently announced that pension increases will take effect from 1 April, with payments beginning in October and retroactive amounts to follow.
This, of course, is welcomed news for our seniors, but it also raises an important question: If the Government now has the capacity to increase support for retired civil servants, why is it not also considering increases for custodial parents who are struggling to raise children on inadequate child support payments?
The cost of living has risen for seniors, and it has also risen for families, for single mothers and fathers, and for the thousands of Bermudians who rely on child support to meet the basic needs of their children such as housing, food, clothes, school supplies, and childcare.
Many custodial parents have gone years without any adjustments to child support orders, even as inflation has eroded the real value of those payments.
We cannot speak of fairness, sustainability or social responsibility while ignoring the reality that children are among the most vulnerable members of our community, and the adults caring for them are often carrying the heaviest financial burden. Government has reviewed and adjusted pensions to reflect economic conditions, it should now also review and adjust child support guidelines to ensure that they reflect the true cost of raising a child in Bermuda today.
Both our seniors and our children deserve protection. They both rely on Government to ensure that support systems keep pace with economic reality.
The Premier said that the Government “did the work” to stabilise the pension fund. That is commendable, but families need the same level of attention and urgency. Bermuda needs a review of child support legislation, its enforcement mechanisms, and payment levels, as it is long overdue. Custodial parents should not have to wait years for relief while costs continue to rise.
If we are entering a period where the Government can responsibly increase financial support for retirees, then we must also enter a period where the Government can responsibly increase support for children. Bermuda’s social safety net must be strengthened at both ends, for those who built this country, and for those who will inherit it.
- Robin Tucker, Shadow Minister of Youth & Family Services
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