Published 3 July 2023
Senior citizens commemorate 20th Retirees’ Day & MISSA’s 55th Foundation Day
In 2004, then President Kessai Note and his Cabinet approved and declared July 1st of every year as “Retirees’ Day”, in honor of all retired senior and disabled citizens who have served the Marshall Islands in various employment capacities in the Government and private sectors. It was further approved that July 1st shall serve as MISSA’s anniversary date, as July 1, 1968 was the initial date for the establishment of the Trust Territory Social Security System (TTSSS). This year’s event marked the commemoration of MISSA’s 55th Anniversary.
Since July 1st falls on a weekend, this year’s event was held today (July 3rd) at the MISSA office on Majuro and will also be celebrated tomorrow in Ebeye. It started with opening remarks from Bill Joseph, MISSA’s Chief Operating Officer & Deputy Administrator for the Retirement Fund. Bill thanked the dozens of retirees who attended the simple celebrations. He explained to them how MISSA evolved from the time the Congress of Micronesia enacted a law that created the Trust Territory Social Security System. This was passed by the High Commissioner on October 13, 1967. But the program went into effect only on July 1, 1968.
The Trust Territory of the Pacific was a United Nations Trust Territory administered by the United States from 1947 to 1996. It consisted of the Marshall Islands, Caroline Islands, Palau Islands, and the northern Marianas Islands—all of Micronesia except for Guam.
After the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the United States in 1983 and gained independence in 1986 with the Compact’s entry into force, the Nitijela of the Marshall Islands enacted the Social Security Act of 1987 that marked the establishment of the Marshall Islands Social Security System.
The MISSA Board was represented by Director Josepha Maddison who is also a retiree herself. In her short speech, Director Maddison congratulated and thanked her fellow retirees for joining the event. She also praised and thanked MISSA management and staff for consistently performing their responsibilities with dedication and due diligence and helping the MISSA Board in sustaining the financial viability of the Retirement Fund.
After the short program, the retirees were treated with refreshments and island music.
