Castries, 18-Dec-23 – The National Insurance Corporation has announced the relaunch of the Golden Citizens Program; an initiative that honours NIC retirement pensioners by partnering with the business community to provide them with discounts on goods and services.
Under the theme “Celebrating Your Golden Years With Exclusive Rewards,” the re-imagined program was launched during a ceremony at the Finance Administrative Centre, Pointe Seraphine on Friday December 15, 2023.
The principle aims of the program are to augment the economic and purchasing power of the NIC pension, especially in light of the ever-rising tide of inflation and to recognize the contribution of retirees to the development of our nation.
“This program which started in 2004 under the then Director, Emma Hippolyte, is a clear demonstration that the NIC has long been committed to providing value beyond making pension payments to its pensioners,” said NIC Chairman Mr. Evaristus Jn Marie.
“We at the NIC have remained committed to finding new ways of providing value to pensioners. In our search to create added value for our pensioners, I want to promise you that we shall remain open to ideas from pensioners, because in many ways pensioners are better placed to inform the direction of this search.”
Approximately 60 businesses, both large and small, have registered to participate in the program, offering discounts of up to twenty percent (20%) on goods and services as well as other incentives.
“We will continue to engage the private sector with a view to expanding the number of businesses participating in the Golden Citizens Program. The goal is to create an extensive network that caters to the diverse needs and preferences of our pensioners, offering them a wide range of options to choose from,” said NIC Communications Manager Mr. Shervon Alfred.
As part of the program, NIC retirement pensioners will be issued with “Gold Cards” which they will present to the participating businesses in order to claim their exclusive discounts. All businesses participating in the program will be identified through their display of the special Golden Citizens Program decal. In addition to NIC retirement pensioners, the Golden Citizens program is also open to government pensioners who are members of the St Lucia Association of Retired Persons (SLARP).
The National Insurance Corporation extends sincere appreciation to the businesses that have partnered with us in ensuring the success of the Golden Citizens Program.
In the coming days, NIC will be registering qualified retirement pensioners to receive their gold card. Detailed announcements regarding registration locations and dates will be made through local media and NIC social media platforms.