Lovely François Installed as Head of ONA by Minister Sandra Paulemon

Lovely François, 32, was officially installed on March 24, 2026, as the new Director General of the National Old-Age Insurance Office (ONA), replacing Ronald Bazile. The ceremony was presided over by the interim Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Sandra Paulemon.

Sandra Paulemon, Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, who is serving as interim for Minister Marc-Elie Nelson, currently on a mission in Brazil, as interim Minister of Social Affairs, proceeded with the installation of the young Lovely François, marking the beginning of a new era for ONA.

Lovely François, a young accounting specialist who developed her career in the United States, stated that she is taking office with « determination and a sense of duty ». While announcing reforms to be implemented within the first hundred days of her mandate, she committed to ending all forms of opacity in management. She also mentioned strengthening the various programs led by the insurance institution, such as: ONA POLICE, ONA FANM.

Minister Paulemon emphasized the importance of restoring trust and improving services, by bringing ONA closer to citizens. « Social justice must no longer just be spoken of; it must be seen. At the end of a working life, a pension should not be an uncertainty, old age should not be a worry, » she declared. The new leadership is now tasked with stabilizing, organizing, and accelerating the modernization of the institution.

The Minister recalled the institution's major challenges: « A requirement is now imperative: to transform ONA into a modern, transparent, and resolutely results-oriented institution. It is time for the frustrations of policyholders and pensioners to cease. Dignity is not negotiable. »

Notably, the outgoing director, Ronald Bazile, whose 14-month tenure was deemed catastrophic, did not attend the installation, leaving the communications director to deliver the summary speech. Various employees demonstrated outside the premises to warn the new director against any mismanagement.

Expectations are high. For several years, the institution has been a source of corruption. Will Ms. François be able to restore ONA's reputation and image, while refocusing the institution on its primary mission, which is to guarantee fair and dignified benefits to workers at the end of their active lives or in case of incapacity?

The editorial staff