The Social Security (Barbados) Order (Northern Ireland) 1992

Part VMiscellaneous Provisions

ARTICLE 30Arrangements for Administration and Co-operation

(1) The competent authorities of the two Parties shall establish the administrative measures necessary for the application of this Convention.

(2) The competent authorities of the two Parties shall communicate to each other, as soon as possible, all information about the measures taken by them for the application of this Convention or about changes in their national legislation in so far as these changes affect the application of the provisions of this Convention.

(3) The competent authorities of the two Parties shall establish liaison offices for the purpose of facilitating the implementation of the provisions of this Convention.

(4) The competent authorities of the two Parties shall assist one another on any matter relating to the application of this Convention as if the matter were one affecting the application of their own legislation. This assistance shall be free of charge.

(5) Where any benefit is payable under the legislation of one Party to a person in the territory of the other Party, the payment may be made by the competent authority of the latter Party, at the request of the competent authority of the former Party, and the former Party shall reimburse the latter Party.

(6) Where a person who is in the territory of one Party has claimed, or is receiving, benefit under the legislation of the other Party and a medical examination is necessary, the competent authority of the former Party, at the request of the competent authority of the latter Party, shall arrange for this examination. The cost of such examination shall be met by the competent authority of the former Party.

(7) Where the legislation of one Party provides that any certificate or other document which is submitted under the legislation of that Party shall be exempt, wholly or partly, from any taxes, legal dues, consular fees or administrative charges, that exemption shall apply to any certificate or other document which is submitted under the legislation of the other Party or in accordance with this Convention.

(8) All statements, documents and certificates of any kind required to be produced for the purposes of this Convention shall be exempt from authentication by diplomatic or consular authorities.

(9) Unless disclosure is required under the legislation of a Party, any information about an individual which is sent in accordance with, and for the purposes of, this Convention to that Party by another Party is confidential and shall be used only for the purpose of implementing this Convention and the legislation to which this Convention applies.

ARTICLE 31Submission of Claim or Appeal

(1) Any claim or appeal which should, for the purposes of the legislation of one Party, have been submitted within a prescribed period to the competent authority of that Party, shall be treated as if it had been submitted to that competent authority if it is submitted within the same period to the competent authority of the other Party.

(2) Any claim for benefit submitted under the legislation of one Party shall also be deemed to be a claim for the corresponding benefit under the legislation of the other Party in so far as this corresponding benefit is payable in accordance with this Convention.

ARTICLE 32Currency and Method of Payment

(1) Where the competent authority of the United Kingdom makes a payment of any benefit in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, any such payment shall be made in the currency of the United Kingdom and shall constitute a full discharge of the obligation in respect of which the payment has been made.

(2) Where the competent authority of Barbados makes a payment of any benefit in accordance with the provisions of this Convention any such payment shall be made in the following currency—

(a)in respect of a beneficiary resident in Barbados, in the currency of Barbados;

(b)in respect of a beneficiary resident in the United Kingdom, in the currency of the United Kingdom;

(c)in respect of a beneficiary resident in a third State, in a currency freely convertible in that State,

and shall constitute a full discharge of the obligation in respect of which the payment has been made.

(3) In the application of paragraphs (2)(b) and (c), the conversion rate shall be the rate of exchange in effect on the day when the payment is made.

(4) Where a person in the territory of one Party, is receiving benefit under the legislation of the other Party, it shall be payable by whatever method the competent authority of the latter Party deems appropriate.

ARTICLE 33Resolution of Disputes

(1) The competent authorities of the two Parties to this Convention shall make all reasonable efforts to resolve through agreement between them any dispute about its interpretation or application.

(2) If any dispute cannot be resolved as in paragraph (1) it shall be submitted, at the request of the competent authority of either Party, to an arbitration tribunal which shall be composed in the following manner:

(a)each Party shall appoint an arbitrator within one month from receipt of the demand for arbitration. The two arbitrators shall appoint a third arbitrator, who shall not be a national of either Party, within two months from the date on which the Party which was the last to appoint its arbitrator has notified the other Party of the appointment;

(b)if within the prescribed period either Party should fail to appoint an arbitrator, the other Party may request the President of the International Court of Justice or, in the event of his having the nationality of one of the Parties, the Vice-President or next senior judge of that Court not having the nationality of either Party, to make the appointment. A similar procedure shall be adopted at the request of either Party if the two arbitrators cannot agree on the appointment of the third arbitrator.

(3) The decision of the arbitration tribunal, which shall be binding on both Parties, shall be by majority vote. The arbitration tribunal shall determine its own rules of procedure, and its costs shall be borne equally by the two Parties.