– Ministry official
CHIEF Probation and Welfare Officer in the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Mrs. Patricia Gray said yesterday that, because the officers there are working according to schedule, 80 per cent of the old age pension books have been distributed.

Human Services Minister Mrs. Priya Manickchand explaining aspects of the pension distribution to the elderly who turned up at the Festival City Health Centre recently.

She told the Guyana Chronicle, on the telephone, that all the areas yet to be served will be in receipt by this weekend.

According to her, the distribution is being done quickly so that beneficiaries can receive their pensions on the first working day of the new year.

Gray said the Ministry is trying to improve the system every year and is responsible for the smooth disbursement which began on November 16, this year.

She said, on the completion, the Ministry will carry out an examination of the 2009 progression, to ascertain if there is anything else that can be done to enhance the process.

Gray said, too, that the Ministry welcomes comments and suggestions which can be made to its offices through the telephone numbers listed on the distribution notices.

Human Services Minister Mrs. Priya Manickchand recently interacted with some of the beneficiaries at East Georgetown Sunnatul Masjid, at Omai and Sachibazaar Streets, Prashad Nagar and Festival City Health Centre, North Ruimveldt, also in Georgetown.

She explained that, if the Ministry had started to distribute the vouchers in January, as was done in previous years, many would not have received theirs until March or April 2010.

On the suggestion of one pensioner, she said that, if persons are willing to volunteer, the Ministry would introduce a numbering system, because to do so would require more staff.

Responding to a call for the benefit to be increased, Minister Manickchand pointed out that the disbursal, currently to 42,000 people, is costing Government more than $200M monthly.

“When we give pensions, we still have to give public assistance, uniforms for schoolchildren, maintain centres and build roads and schools, all from one budget. While we would like to give you much more, we have to do what our budget allows us to do,” she added.

She reminded that, in 2007, President Bharrat Jagdeo announced an increase of 63 per cent, which almost doubled the sum pensioners were receiving then and, in 2008, another five per cent was approved.

Manickchand said pensioners also benefit from a water tariff waiver in that, if they have meters in their names, they can get relief of approximately $11,000 annually.