Dear Editor, 

Dr Prem Misir’s continued theorization denying marginalisation in the African community remains nothing more than theory- pure speculation. Here are some concrete issues he should deal with.

*  Proposals to extend the public service retirement age are ignored by the government. A largely African workforce in the public sector is forced to retire at age 55. In this competitive era where people live longer, no developing or developed society is retiring their workforce at 55 years. Those countries view this age as a prime employment asset due to experience, institutional memory, skills and commitment acquired from many years of active service. In Guyana, public servants at 55 are retired and denied opportunities to continue serving their country, thereby destroying their financial independence and dignity, and forcing them to exist at the mercy of a measly state pension, dig into small savings, depend on kindness, and wait another five long years for a NIS pension, which like the state pension, is eroded with increased inflation. …..