In our Wednesday edition, it was reported that hundreds of pensioners waited long

hours (the previous day) under blazing sunshine as they joined winding and sometimes irregular queues at post offices to receive their pensions.
One pensioner said that most of them were waiting since 07:00 hrs. He said that there was no proper line system since some persons would come and cut through the line to the counter. “They also don’t have enough people working and that’s why the line holding up.”
From all indications, this problem seems to be a frequent and recurring one and therefore it needs to be closely examined with a view to finding a lasting solution. It is unfair and unjust for us to treat our senior citizens with such disdain and callousness.
We must never forget that our senior citizens have made tremendous sacrifices and endured much suffering to improve our society and create better living conditions for all of us.
We are today enjoying the fruits of their labour and it is only fair that they be treated with the requisite care, compassion and kindness they truly deserve.
“…the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life; the sick, the needy and the handicapped.”  (Last speech of U.S. Senator Hubert H. Humphrey)
“A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members,” the great Mahatma Gandhi once stated.
And according  to  Pope John Paul II, “A society will be judged on the basis of how it treats its weakest members and among the most vulnerable are surely the unborn and the dying.”
These great and wise men have summed up the issue well and it is doubtful that anyone could disagree with them. So we really need to take a hard look at the system of pension payments with the intention of making it more user friendly and hassle free.
In this regard, several avenues could be explored and implemented. One of them could possibly be sending payments through the bank to those pensioners who have bank accounts and to encourage those who do not have to probably establish one.
Another initiative could be to have employees work overtime during the periods of pension payments by having the post offices open beyond the normal working hours. In addition, there should be more employees dealing with payments at post offices instead of having only one.
The possibility of establishing a mobile payment unit could also be explored and if it is feasible and practicable then it should be implemented.
With respect to standing in queues, at least some seating accommodation could be provided as it is obvious that many of these senior citizens are afflicted with various illnesses and physical constraints because of age. Surely, we would not want to wait until one of them collapses in a queue before some action is taken in this regard.
Perhaps payments in other countries with a simplified and user-friendly system could be examined as well and if they are applicable here then by all means we should do so.
Systems also need to be in place to ensure that post offices have adequate funds to effect payments so as to avoid pensioners turning up on the prescribed dates only to be told there is no money, which would mean they have to spend more time and probably more money to come back another day.
These are only suggestions and if they bear merit then they should be implemented in a most expeditious manner. The bottom line is that we have to ensure that our senior citizens receive their pensions without hassle and suffering.