CMNT_TITLE

The Committee notes from the Government's report that due consideration will be given to the Committee's previous comments. It hopes that the Government will shortly take measures to bring its legislation into conformity with the Convention on the following point:

Old-age and survivors' benefits and employment injury pensions. Article 49 (in conjunction with Article 48) of the National Insurance and Social Security (Benefits) Regulations 1967 and Article 25 of the Employment Injury (Benefits) Regulations 1970 provide that in the event of the beneficiary residing abroad these benefits shall be paid in Barbados to such representative acting for and on behalf of the person concerned as may be approved by the competent authority. This provision, which appears to deprive the beneficiary of the right to ask for his benefit to be paid to him directly at his place of residence abroad, is not compatible with Article 5 of the Convention, under which any State that, like Barbados, has accepted the obligations of the Convention for branches (e), (f) and (g), must guarantee both to its own nationals and to the nationals of any other Member that has accepted the obligations of the Convention in respect of the branch or branches in question, when they are resident abroad, the provision of old-age benefits, survivors' benefits and employment injury pensions.