Dear Editor,
The Anna Regina office of the Ministry of Social Protection deserves tremendous praise for the relief that was felt by hundreds of old age pensioners who had turned out at the Amerindian Hostel in Suddie to uplift their books for next year.
Significant improvements were made during the two-day distribution on Thursday and Monday last with the expeditious distribution which was made very easy unlike in previous years.
The female officer and her two-member team in a surprise move commenced work at 7am, two hours earlier than required, in order to avoid a build-up of people. This avoided the long wait which happened in the past. For the first time, a tent was placed outside to provide better seating accommodation for the elderly as compared to before when it was all cramped up inside with a good many of them having to wait on the stairway or the road parapet. In the past pensioners were given a number and kept shifting down umpteen times, causing them discomfort. It had prompted me to make a suggestion to the department to abolish the system, and now there has been a favourable response.
On the two days recently the pensioners only had to walk in and out, and this was much appreciated by every single recipient.
Yours faithfully,
Baliram Persaud
