Top official “asks” to halt “double dipping” pensions

Santo Domingo.- Pensions superintendent Joaquin Geronimo yesterday asked the officials who currently receive a pension to renounce them while they hold any public office.

He said the Pensions Superintendence (Sipen) and the Office of the Comptroller launched a probe of all state agencies to recover those funds saved in the supplementary pension plans.

"The Pensions Superintendence calls on all government employees and officials who enjoy a state pension and returned to working life in the State to take steps to comply with the provisions of paragraph 11 of the 379 lay – 81 and suspend the exercise of the same while in the performance of their duties," says the statement s by the Sipen, quoted by newspaper Listin.

Geronimo said pension fund insurance plans (AFP), Finance Ministry, Dominican Social Security Institute (IDSS) or other existing social plans are not at risk.

Sipen’s decision seeks to comply with recently issued Decree 616-12, aimed at preventing misuse of taxpayers for supplementary pension plans, which is widely known as “double dipping.”