Fight GOTT: The Campaign for a Fair Deal for Gurkhas Continues
This weekend, Cheriton in Folkestone becomes the centre of the ongoing fight to get a fair deal on pensions and citizenship rights for ex-Gurkha soldiers. An ITV news crew will be in Cheriton, near the Gurkha's UK Shornecliffe Barracks, to make a documentary which reveals the continuing unfair treatment of ex-Gurkha soldiers.
Despite an announcement last year by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to allow Gurkhas to join British Army Pension Scheme, campaigners remain dismayed at the rules which are being applied which discriminate against any Gurkha who has already retired.
The Gurkha Offer To Transfer (GOTT) only gives a partial credit for years services before 1 July 1997. As examples, page 43 of the "Offer to Transfer" Booklet on the MOD web site (http://tinyurl.com/2b9qsv) shows the credit for transferring to the AFPS 75 Pension Scheme for service before 1st July 1997 is between 36% of a post 1997 year for a Rifleman to just 23% for a Major.
Gurkha Pension example: Lieutenant with 23 years' service - 15 years before 1 July 1997 and 8 years after:
- Service from 1 July 1997 = 8 pensionable years in AFPS 75
- Pre-1 July 1997 service in GPS converts to AFPS 75 using a service credit of 27% = 15 x 0.27 = 4.05 pensionable years
- Total AFPS 75 service = (a) + (b) = 12.05 pensionable years
The 15 years service before 1 July 1997 therefore give just 4 years pension rights.
A major national campaign on Gurkha citizenship rights in 2004 was strongly backed by the Liberal Democrats and forced the Government to agree that ex-Gurkha soldiers could on retirement choose to stay in the UK and seek British citizenship. However, any soldier retiring before 1997 was also excluded, meaning that thousands of potentially eligible Gurkhas who have fought for the UK cannot apply for UK citizenship.
Cheriton resident Dhan Gurung became the first ex-Gurkha soldier to become a British Councillor in May 2007 when he was elected to Folkestone Town Council. Lib Dem Councillor Dhan said:
"The MOD's 'GOTT' package for the Gurkha's pension scheme is absolutely unfair. As an example, I served in the British Army from 1987 to 2004. The eleven years before 1997 are being counted as under 4 years service to calculate pension rights. How can that be right?
"Nationally, hundreds of Gurkhas are standing up against the unfairness of 'GOTT' and continuing to fight for citizenship rights for our colleagues who fought for this country with us but who retired before 1997."
Cheriton Councillor Peter Carroll has been a leading figure in the Gurkha fight for a fair deal. Peter added:
"What we want is simple justice.
"Gurkhas who fought in the British Army should be entitled to stay in this country and apply for citizenship - whether they retired before 1997 or not.
"Gurkhas who fought in the British Army should have all their years of service treated the same - whether they were completed before 1997 or not.
"The Government has imposed this entirely arbitrary 1997 rule to both citizenship and pensions. It's entirely wrong, and creates real hardship for those trapped by this ruling.
"The solution to the problem is simple. Extend the same citizenship rights to those who retired before 1997 as are now offered to those who retired after it. Pay the same pension for years served before 1997 as for those after it."
ITV News are coming to the Cheriton Gurkha Community Centre in Mackenzie Drive, off Risborough Lane in Cheriton this Saturday 2nd February at 11.30am to interview local residents on the situation facing the ex-Gurkha community and their fight for a fair deal - on pensions and citizenship rights.
Please come along to the Gurkha Community Centre on Mackenzie Drive on Saturday 2nd at 11.30am to offer your support to ex-Gurkha soldiers from Folkestone and beyond.
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