Teixeira raps Govt over Old Age Pension restriction

… flays APNU/AFC for assaulting poor, vulnerable groups

…Govt insists it’s the law

Though the Government insists that they are only upholding the law, the parliamentary Opposition People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) and a significant portion of the public have erupted into ferocity over the move to ban overseas-based Guyanese from accessing the Old Age Pension fund locally.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira lambasted the Government for taking steps to implement the restriction which will negatively impact a large number of persons who traditionally depend on the assistance.

Teixeira accentuated that the rationale provided by the Government for this decision is far from sound, noting that it is utterly unfair that Guyanese living abroad are being denied their entitlement.

“If a Guyanese earns their pension in another country, it cannot be considered as double dipping if they apply and are approved for noncontributing pension in Guyana which is provided for under the poor relief law. This is the same Government that is encouraging people from the Diaspora and yet now is creating further disincentives. Isn’t the Minister aware that many Guyanese return here to live in Guyana after many years of cold weather and hardships to live here on the pensions that are duly earned in another country,” she emphasised.

The parliamentarian also noted that the move is an assault on the indigenous people of the country who generally reside along the Suriname, Brazil and Venezuela borders and is believed to collect pensions from both States.

Teixeira argued that the majority of people who depend on these old age benefits belong to the underprivileged population of Guyana and therefore, by placing limitations on its access, individuals will likely suffer.

“Why would you want to trouble these people? They have served in their countries and they have served us,” she stated.

New system coming soon

However, Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence announced that the new system will come into effect soon.

Lawrence said the current system opens doors for ‘double dipping’, meaning when persons not living in Guyana access pension from both the Guyanese Government and the country in which they live.

The new system stipulates that persons desirous of accessing Old Age Pension will have to be living in Guyana for a minimum of two years.

Government officials have explained Guyanese 65 years and older are eligible for Old Age Pension which is different from National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pension, retirement pension and social assistance.

Amid public outcry, the Social Protection Ministry clarified that Old Age Pension is not an entitlement from employment, as in the case of Government Pension and National Insurance Scheme Pension, but rather Old Age Pension is a monthly payment ($18,200 at present) available to eligible Guyanese aged 65 or older.

In this regard, the Government argued that the laws of Guyana stipulate that the old age benefit can be suspended or forfeited if any person is absent from Guyana or undergoing imprisonment or detention in legal custody.

According to Old Age Pension Act (Chapter 36:03), applicants must meet certain statutory conditions to qualify for Old Age Pension.

These statutory conditions are that the person must have attained the age of 65 years; the person must satisfy the appropriate authority that she/he has been a citizen of Guyana for at least 10 years immediately preceding his [her] claim for a pension; the person must have been ordinarily resident in Guyana during the 20 years immediately preceding his [her] claim for pension.

In the event that the person is temporarily absent from Guyana, the applicant or pensioner must satisfy the Authority, usually through the provision of the person’s passport and an immigration check conducted by the Ministry, that the period of absence from Guyana has not exceeded two years during the past 20 years, according to law.

Persons receiving Old Age Pension may become ineligible if that person is a resident in a charitable institution that provides board and lodging; is in prison or has migrated. (Devina Samaroo)