About Dominica Social Security

The Program

The ILO (1983) defines social security as the protection furnished by a society to its members in the event of certain contingencies, including sickness, old age, survivors, death, maternity, unemployment, industrial accidents, occupational hazards and health care.

In Dominica, the program is designed to partially replace or supplement income lost by Insured Persons during periods of sickness, maternity, employment injury, and old age. When an Insured Person dies, provision is also made to pay a pension to the eligible spouse and children. In the absence of an eligible spouse and children, surviving parents or grandparents over the age of 60 stand to qualify for such benefit.

Brief History

  • 1971

    NATIONAL PROVIDENT FUND (NPF) INTRODUCED

    As part of its quest to provide a level of social protection for workers and their dependents, the government introduced the National Provident Fund (NPF). Under this arrangement, workers in Dominica were required to contribute of 5% their income to the Fund. Their contribution was matched with another 5% contributed on their behalf by their employers. The NPF operated along similar lines with commercial banks in that the contributions paid into the fund were treated as savings which attracted a 3% rate of interest. Upon retirement, the Insured Person was given a lump-sum refund of all of his contributions along with the accrued interest.

  • 1976

    SOCIAL SECURITY INTRODUCED

    The NPF program did not provide adequate income security for the working population and hence, with the assistance of the International Labor Organization, the Government introduced the Dominica Social Security program with a more comprehensive benefit package in 1976. At that time, coverage was only provided for employees and Voluntary Contributors and all persons who were previously registered under the NPF automatically became insured under the Social Security program, and their NPF contributions were converted to Social Security Credits.

  • 1999

    SOCIAL SECURITY FOR ALL

    Coverage was extended to Self-employed persons, thereby making it mandatory for all categories of working persons in Dominica between the ages of 16 and the retirement age to be registered and insured under the program.

The Core To Social Security

Mission Statement

To secure and hold in trust contributions collected, make timely and accurate payment of benefits and invest surplus funds prudently; in accordance with legislative requirements, while contributing to socio-economic development.

Vision Statement

To be the cornerstone of retirement and facilitator of income replacement for contributors through efficient collection of contributions and prudent investments while contributing to socio-economic development.

Goals

To be acknowledged as the major component of national social protection coverage founded on the principles of equity, social justice, pooling of resources and sharing of risk to offer a measure of financial security, independence and human dignity to our insured persons and their dependents.

To serve our customers in accordance with our core values.

To prudently invest surplus funds to meet the needs of the organization and contribute to long-term socio-economic development.

Competencies

  • Effective collection of contributions
  • Timely and accurate payment of benefit
  • Effective sourcing, appraisal, monitoring and evaluation of investment opportunities
  • Effective collection, analysis and management of pertinent data
  • Prudent investment of surplus funds

Values

  • Integrity
  • Courtesy
  • Excellence
  • Accountability
  • Prudence
  • Transparency
  • Confidentiality
  • Trust

Our Administrative Team

The Social Security Act provides for the appointment of a Board of Directors who shall be responsible for administering the Social Security Fund. The Board must be constituted of not less than five persons - one of whom shall be the Director, and four other persons; from among whom shall be persons having knowledge in Law, Social Science, Business Management, Industrial Relations, Local Government, Accounting and Finance.

Mr. Anthony JosephChairman

Mr. Ericson RobinsonMember

Mr. Stephen IsidoreMember

Ms. Mandra FaganDeputy Chairperson

Mr. Gregory ShillingfordMember

Ms. Gloria DechausayMember

Mrs. Janice Jean-Jacques ThomasDirector

Mrs. Martha MaynardMember

Mr. Edgar HunterMember

Investment Committee Members (2021)

Mr. Rooseworth Mills — Chairman
Mr. Colin Bully — Member
Mrs. Janice Jean-Jacques Thomas — Director
Mr. Jeffery Baptiste — Member
Mrs. Doria Capitolin — Member