There exists several discrepancies in old age pension eligibility requirements as expressed in the Old Age Pension Act as against the regulations of the Ministry of Social Protection (formerly Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security), according to a forensic audit and review of the Old Age Pension (OAP) Scheme.
The audit and review, which was conducted by Nizam Ali and Company, noted that contrary to the Act, which requires that a person be resident in Guyana for 20 years immediately preceding application, the ministry’s policy prescribes that the person reside in Guyana for two years preceding application.
Additionally, while the act disqualifies persons who are inmates of any public or charitable institution, the ministry’s policy is not to exclude such persons as ineligible and while the Act calls for a means assessment to decide the
