Dear Editor,
As our lawmakers and leaders now seek to ensure that their retirement years are very, very comfortable, it may be a good time to bring to the fore the silent tragedy of pensioners in Guyana. Most are enduring the terrible scourge of mendicancy as they battle the daily indignities of an income from the NIS and a government that could only be described as inhumane.
Most pensioners, except those being adequately supported by relatives, or receiving pensions from the UK or Canada, are disillusioned and depressed at this time when their resources are inadequate for the health challenges which come naturally with age. These health challenges are further compounded by the stress of having to deal with institutions such as the NIS and the government old age pension scheme. One wonders if it is not a deliberate scheme on the part of these institutions so as to shorten the lifespan of pensioners.
Parliamentarians should spend one week visiting the department that is supposed to deal with the National Cost of Living Index. Make time within this very week to visit ex-judges, magistrates, permanent secretaries, teachers, masters, lecturers, professors, nurses, public servants, estate workers and former labourers, and check what they are receiving and expected to live on. It will surprise many to learn that most of the senior functionaries on this list do not receive in excess of $19,000.00 per month, which sum is the combined pittances from the NIS and government for those over 65.
Prior to 1989, NIS contributions used to be recorded noting the salary scale of the individual making the contribution. Any human being would extrapolate that the intention was to arrive at a percentage figure based on the current value of your dominant scale(s). Not so; some heartless person(s) decided that you must not be paid a percentage – let us say for example of $288,000.00 which scale 11, is valued today, but instead you must receive a share of $4,000.00 which scale 11, represented 15 years ago when you retired.
Whatever is lacking within the system as it relates to an adequate pension for our pensioners, I call upon our parliamentarians to immediately seek to make corrections and bring an end to this shameful situation which is no doubt one of the many curses on Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address provided)
The plight of our elderly in Guyana is tragic. I think children should be responsible for the care and sustenance of their parents as they grow old and can no longer financially support themselves. These people are/were responsible for who we are today and should not be burdened with anxieties in their golden age.
This demostrates the nature of the Anti-working class nature of the PPP governemnt —they are i nline with the Buddy and the Joshua of guyana.
Out here there are a lot of things to be found.There are two sets of rules in Guyana. One for the haves and those with connections, the other is for all others.Politicians are guilty of giving themselves pay raises and perks via the back door.Pensioners are forgotten.I mean how can these callous individuals eat their food every day, driving their plush cars around, dining out,and knowing how these poor people are suffering.Some who wouldn’t last another day because of illness through want.It has been a long hard life in Guyana, and they still did not get to the finish line.They just did not make it.In fact the people who are expected to pay the little needed to survive have nothing to pay that with.
Caesar Agustus: When election time comes, voters return these same politicians or their parties to power in spite of their of their exorbitant pay raises and perks via the back door. Einstein defined insanity as “doing things the same way and expecting a different result”. That’s the scene in Guyana today and I fear for many more years to come.
like the pensioners were living in paradise before and there was no suffering so blame it on this baad govt.
They all part of the problem. You can want to plant corn and reap Banana.