3.0 The Composition of the SWF Board
The
Fund will be administered by a Management Committee and is presently made up as
follows:
The
Fund shall be administered and managed by a Board, to be known as the Seafarers’
Welfare Board, which shall consist of—
(a)
a Chairperson, to be appointed by the Minister;
(b)
a representative of the Ministry;
(c)
a representative of the Association Professionelle des Agents
Maritimes;
(d)
a representative of the Mauritius Ports Authority;
(e)
2 representatives of any association of active seafarers, to be appointed by the
Minister after consultation with such association;
(f)
a representative of ship owners, to be appointed by the Minister;
(g)
a representative of Apostolat de la Mer, to be appointed by the Minister;
and
(h)
a representative from any association of retired seafarers, to be appointed by
the Minister.
4.0
Eligibility criteria for a seafarer to benefit from the Welfare Schemes
2016:-
ACTIVE
SEAFARER
In order to be
eligible to benefit from the different schemes as an active seafarer the latter
should meet the following requirements:-
i. The seafarer must be a Mauritian national and holder of a Mauritian Discharge Book;
ii. The seafarer must be registered as an active seafarer with the Shipping Office and be registered in the database of the Seafarer’s Welfare Fund;
iii. The seafarer must not have been found guilty by a Court of law of any offence punishable by imprisonment;
iv. The seafarer must have contributed to the Group Life Savings Policy of SICOM Contributory Fund set up under the aegis of the Seafarers’ Welfare Fund.
v. The seafarer must have contributed the National Pension Fund for at least 3 years in order to benefit from any of the scheme of the Fund;
vi. The seafarer must not have taken up employment ashore in the public service, parastatal institution, with any local authority and in the private sector during the preceding years.
vii. Any seafarer who is known to have been offered and refused employment on board any vessel on at least two (2) occasions without any justification will not be entitled to benefit from the different schemes.
viii. Any seafarer who misbehaves (use of abusive language etc.) within the premises of the Seafarers’ Welfare Fund or any related body (Shipping Office, Ministry)will be subjected to disciplinary actions.
ix. Any active seafarers entering the maritime sector as from February 2016, must have sea service of at least three (3) years which shall be attested by a record of sea service obtained from the office of the Superintendent of Shipping;
x. The legitimate spouse and children of the seafarers will be eligible to the respective benefits.
RETIRED
SEAFARER
In
order to be eligible to benefit from the different schemes as a retired seafarer
the latter should meet the following requirements:-
i.
The retired seafarer should be above fifty five
(55) years unless retired on medical ground;
ii.
The retired seafarer should;
a.
Have served at least two third (2/3) of his active
life at sea.
b.
Reckon an aggregate period of at least 10 years of
sea-time including four (4) days monthly leave.
iii.
Retired seafarers are entitled to all the benefits of
the various schemes without any restrictions.
5.0 Schemes
of the Seafarers’ Welfare Fund
A.
Birthday Gift Scheme for Seafarers
The
Seafarers’ Welfare Fund has reviewed its Birthday Gift Scheme for
seafarers. A sum of Rs 7,544 will be paid as gift to every
seafarer who will reach 60th Birthday or has celebrated his 60th
birthday since 1st February 2016 and payment as per the
following table will apply:
Age
Amount (Rs)
61-79
(Excluding ages which are a multiple of 5)
2,058
65 3,429
70 4,801
75 6,173
80 7,544
81-94
(Excluding ages which are a multiple of 5)
3,429
85 8,916
90 10,288
95 11,660
96 13,031
97 14,403
98 15,775
99 17,146
100 21,261
I
Mode of application
Fill in the appropriate application and
submit to the Seafarers’ Welfare Fund.
The following
documents should be produced and photocopies submitted when depositing the
application form;
· Birth
certificate of seafarer
· National
Identity Card of the Seafarer
· Copy of
Discharge Book of the Seafarer
B. Dental
Treatment Scheme for Seafarers
The Seafarers’ Welfare Fund has reviewed its Dental Treatment
Scheme for seafarers with effect from 1st February
2016.
Under
this scheme the beneficiary will be refunded up to 75% of cost incurred for
normal dental treatment, up to a maximum amount of Rs 5,485 per year.
I
Mode of application
1)
The seafarer should fill in the appropriate application form for refund
and submit it to the Seafarers’ Welfare Fund.
2)
The following documents should be submitted with the application
form:
a. Copy of
birth certificate
b. Copy of
National Identity Card of the Seafarer
c. Copy of
discharge book
d.
Prescription in original as well as evidence of
payment
Where photocopies of documents are required, originals should be produced
when submitting application form.
- Educational Scheme for Children
of Seafarers Attending Secondary School
The
Seafarers’ Welfare Fund has reviewed its Educational Scheme to assist seafarers
in providing a better education to their children attending secondary school
since 1st February 2016.
The
educational scheme is meant for the dependent children of both active and
retired seafarers, who have passed the CPE examinations and attending a
secondary educational institution on a full time basis. This scheme would cover
the whole period of secondary education. The benefits to be disbursed under this
scheme are as follows;
(a) a
monthly stipend of Rs 763 per child; and
(b) a yearly
allowance to purchase textbooks as indicated below;
Level | Amount |
Form
I | Rs
3,054 |
Form
II | Rs
3,512 |
Form
III | Rs
3,970 |
Form
IV | Rs
4,275 |
Form
V | Rs
5,344 |
Form VI
(Lower and Upper) | Rs
6,107 |
II
Eligibility and criteria
(1) The seafarer
should be on the registered list of active or retired seamen.
(2) The children of
seafarer should already have obtained admission in a State owned or a PSSA
recognized educational institution (except for fee paying secondary institutions).
(3) The children
should not be over 21 years old.
(4) The children
should not be drawing any remuneration.
(5) The text
allowance would not be payable for the period the beneficiary would have to
repeat the same form/level more than once.
(6) The benefits
will cease immediately in case of expulsion of the student from the educational
institution/or if the student fail to attend school for a prolonged time for no
valid reason and has regular absences.
III
Mode of application
1) The seafarer should fill in the appropriate application
form and submit to the Seafarers’ Welfare Fund.
2) The following documents should be produced and
photocopies submitted when depositing the application form;
a) Birth
certificate & marriage certificate of seafarer
b) National
Identity Card of the Seafarer
c) Birth
Certificate of son/daughter of seafarer
d) National
Identity Card of son/daughter (if available)
e) Student Identity
Card/student pass from the respective educational institution
f) Attendance
Certificate from the educational institution stating the form the student is
admitted
g) Copy of the
Discharge Book of the Seafarer
AEducational Scheme for Children
of Seafarers Attending a Vocational or Tertiary Institution
The Seafarers’ Welfare Fund
has reviewed its educational scheme since 1st February
2016.
The educational scheme is meant for
the dependent children of active and retired seafarers who are attending
a vocational or tertiary educational institution on a full time or part time
basis.
A monthly stipend will be paid to
students as follows:-
Tertiary Institutions:
Full time Rs 3,817
Part time Rs 1,832
Vocational- Rs 763
II Eligibility and
criteria
1) The seafarer
should be on the registered list of active and retired seamen.
2) The children of
seafarer should already have obtained admission in an MQA, IVTB approved or recognized educational
institution.
3) The duration of
the course, whether part time or full time, should at least be 6
months.
4) The age limit of
the dependent children is 25 years.
5) The dependent
should not be drawing any remuneration.
III Mode of
application
(i)
The following documents should be produced and photocopies submitted when depositing the application form;
· Birth certificate & marriage certificate of
seafarer
· National Identity Card of the Seafarer
· Birth Certificate of son/daughter of
seafarer
· National Identity Card of son/daughter (if
available)
· Student Identity Card from the respective educational
institution
· Letter of enrolment and attendance from the
educational institution;
· Time table of the course
· Copy of Discharge Book of the
Seafarer
E. Eye
Treatment Scheme for Seafarers
The
Seafarers' Welfare Fund has reviewed its Eye Treatment Scheme for
seafarers with effect from 1st February 2016.
This
scheme is meant for both the active and registered retired
seafarers. Under this scheme the beneficiary will be refunded 75%
of cost incurred for eye treatment and purchase of frames, up to a maximum
amount of Rs 6,303 every two calendar years.
I
Mode of application
The
seafarer should fill in the appropriate application form for refund and submit
it to the Seafarers’ Welfare Fund.
2)
The following documents should be submitted with the application
form:
a. Copy of birth certificate
b. Copy of National Identity Card
c. Copy of discharge book.
d. Prescription in original as well as evidence of payment
Where photocopies of documents are
required, originals should be produced when submitting application form.
F. Medical Scheme
for Seafarers
The Seafarers'
Welfare Fund has reviewed its Medical Scheme for seafarers,
since 1st February 2016.
Under this scheme
the beneficiary will be refunded 75% of costs incurred for medical treatment up
to a maximum of Rs 4,593 to Active Seafarer and a maximum of Rs
9,842 to registered retired seamen every calendar year
I
Mode of application
1)
The seafarer should fill in the appropriate application form for refund
and submit it to the Seafarers’ Welfare Fund.
The
following documents should be submitted with the application form:
a.
Copy of birth certificate
b.
Copy of National Identity Card
c.
Copy of discharge book.
d.
Prescription in original as well as evidence of payment from medical
practitioner and pharmacy.
Where photocopies of
documents are required, originals should be produced when submitting application
form.
Also note that the Medical
scheme is applicable to the legitimate spouse of the
seafarer.
- SCHEME FOR GRANT FOR SCHOOL
COURSE FEES (PAYABLE TO TRAINING INSTITUTION) FOR ACTIVE SEAFARERS TO UPGRADE
THEIR CERTIFICATES
The
Seafarers' Welfare Fund Board, at its meeting held on 7 October 2015,
has decided to introduce a new scheme known as Scheme for grant for
school course fees for seafarers.
Seafarers’
Welfare Fund Board is proposing to finance needy active seafarers 75% of
their course fees one off up to a maximum of Rs 7500/- course fees payable
to Mauritius Maritime Training Academy. The Seafarer to apply with Seafarers’
Welfare Fund for the course fees grant prior to attending any course. Claims
Committee will process applications and Board to ratify applicants’ lists and
courses lists.
Mode
of application
1) The seafarer should fill in the appropriate application
form and submit to the Seafarers’ Welfare Fund.
2) The following documents should be produced and
photocopies submitted when depositing the application form;
a) Birth
certificate of seafarer
b) National
Identity Card of the Seafarer
c) Letter of
Admission/ Payment from School
d) Copy of the
Discharge Book of the Seafarer
H.
ADVANCE DEATH GRANT AND DEATH GRANT
SCHEME
An advance death grant of Rs 5,000 is allocated to
Professional Seafarers Association and Old Seafarers Association. In case of obituary the associations will advance
the advance death grant per case which will be
deducted when payment of death grant is made.
A
death grant as indicated below to the immediate heir/next to kin of a seafarer
registered on the list of active & retired seafarers who passes
away:
Rs
19,932 to the spouse having no child
Rs
26,576 to the spouse having one child under the age of eighteen
Rs
33,220 to the spouse having two children or more under the age of
eighteen
6.0
WELFARE FOR FOREIGN SEAFARERS
1.
Seafarers’ Welfare Fund will operate a Recreation Centre equipped with First aid
kit, Wifi Area, Gymnasium (treadmill, exercisers, Indoor games
(pool, dominoes, cards, etc.), Free drinking water, Reading area and Praying
area.
2.
Offering tours on special occasions like Divali, Christmas, Eid, Independence
Day, Seafarers Day, etc.
3.
Financial assistance to distressed seafarers within a well defined
framework.
