Region 2 pensioners struggling to uplift money – RDC Councillors

− requesting home assistance

Senior citizens of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) continue to struggle to uplift their pension money and Councillors from both the Government and Opposition

side of the Region Two Regional Democratic Council (RDC) brought this issue to the fore during the last statutory RDC meeting.

Government Councillor Julian Cummings, who is a pensioner, testified that he has been struggling for quite some time to uplift his pension. The Councillor pointed out that, like him, many persons living in the Pomeroon River face the same challenges.

He explained that elders and the less fortunate living in the riverine and far flung areas have to pay exorbitant fees to get to Anna Regina just to verify their information before they could receive their money.

Cummings stressed that it is “unfair” for those persons who are bed ridden; further questioning the service provided by the Social Protection Ministry. He also suggested that the Charity Post Office become a main hub for pensioners living in the area.

“Why we have to travel so far and when we go, we are often told the office do not have money, come on, by the time we receive our money it finished with expenses,” Cummings related.

Home assistance

Meanwhile, Vilma Da Silva, a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillor, said many families in the Pomeroon River have expressed the same concern. She said it is unjust for families that have differently able and bedridden individuals to travel such long distances. Da Silva therefore requested that home assistance be provided to those families, as a form of subsidy.

“If home assistance is given to these families, at least it can assist them with transportation to carry the elders to uplift their pension money, to come out the Pomeroon River alone is $3000 one side passage, when these people take out travelling, they’re left with nothing,” Da Silva said.

She also questioned why senior citizens should have to sit and wait for long periods at the post offices to uplift their money. Many senior citizens can be seen lining up as early as 06:00h in the morning.

Da Silva pointed out that these persons should be honoured and respected since many of them made invaluable contributions to society.

During the discussion, Regional Chairperson Nandranie Coonjah added that numerous reports were brought before her relating to the way senior citizens are being treated whenever they go to the Anna Regina office for their pension.

She said too that the way senior citizens are being treated in Region Two by the Social Welfare Board is “saddening”.

Coonjah, who served on the Board in the past, reminded that there was a “shut-in system” in place, which enabled workers from the office to visit the elders and sick at home. She therefore questioned why the sick and the old have to venture to the office to do a simple review, and what has become of the “shut-in system”.

The Councillors from both the Government and the Opposition side then unanimously agreed to write the Board stating all the suggestions and issues that were raised. Toshaos from the various communities have also echoed similar sentiments.