An open letter to Retirement Fund members

Most members of the Retirement Fund program are still working. These members continue to contribute to the Fund and have yet to begin receiving their twice monthly pension checks. It has been estimated that there are over 5,000 individuals in this category and yet we have no organization that advocates our interests in the Retirement Fund program. There is an organization for the around 3,000 retiree members of the Fund but there is no organization for the members who are still working and are not yet receiving pension from the Fund.

From my conversations with many individuals, there appears to be some interest in organizing a not-for-profit, nonpartisan, organization of non-retired members of the Retirement Fund program. The organization’s primary purpose will be to promote, advocate and advance its members’ interest in the Retirement Fund program. The organization could also be a source of Retirement Fund program information for its members. It will advance the interest of its members so that when time comes for them to retire, the Retirement Fund will have the money to pay for its members’ pensions.

It has been reported that the Retirement Fund may be using the present (nonretired) members’ contribution to pay the pension benefits of the retirees. If this is true, and if this continues, there will then be very little money left to pay for the retirement of those still working today. And those individuals are exactly the ones who need to join this organization. But this association must first be organized, established and formally recognized to be able to serve its members and protect their retirement future.

If you are an employee of the CNMI government, then both you and your spouse are eligible to join this association. Also eligible to join are those individuals, and their spouses, who have a vested interest in the Retirement Fund, despite that they may not be presently employed by the CNMI government.

But we need to determine if there are a sufficient number of individuals with an interest in joining the organization. We could make that determination by asking you to please provide us with your full legal name, personal mailing address, place of employment, telephone number(s) and email address information by email to: nmirfmembers@gmail.com. All information you provide will be used solely for the organization’s purposes and for mailing of informational and association materials. A meeting will be called once it is determined that enough individuals are interested in joining the organization. Subsequent to the initial meeting, organization documents will be drafted and processed.

So be prepared for your retirement. Join the organization.

Gregorio “Kilili” Sablan
Garapan, Saipan