A Pembroke woman says Government red tape is preventing students getting part-time summer jobs.

She wants to pay an 18-year-old youth around $100 a week to help manage her big garden.

But Government rules mean she would have to pay a third of that in social insurance.

The 50-year-old housewife, who declined to give her name, said the teenager's mother asked if she had any work for him.

She proposed he work one day a week - about eight hours. "He was looking for summer employment and finding it very difficult.

"I'm a very, very law-abiding citizen and I do my best to follow Government rules and regulations,'' the housewife said.

"I called the department of social insurance and they said that if you employ anybody for more than four hours a week then you're liable to make sure their full social insurance contributions are paid.'' This would be $32.82 a week, half of which would normally be paid by the employer and half by the employee, she said.

"The youngster won't want me to take his half out of his salary, and if I pay it all it means I'm not paying $100 a week, I'm paying $132.82.

"I won't be able to employ this person. I have only got very limited resources myself and an extra third is a lot.

"It seems ridiculous that on the one hand Government is trying to encourage us to given children employment during the summer holidays and on the other hand they're making it as expensive as possible.

"This sort of thing influences my vote.'' Government should halve the payments or exempt students altogether, she added.

A department spokeswoman said the rule applies to students over 16. An employer not paying social insurance payments would deny an employee the opportunity of making contributions to a future pension, she said.

If someone earns less than $58 a week they can apply for exemption from their half of the insurance payments, she added.