GOVERNMENT has announced in Budget 2014 several new measures to benefit elderly Guyanese, including increasing the old age pension from $12,500 to $13,100; increasing annual electricity assistance from $20,000 to $30,000; and providing a $10,000 grant for each child in the public education system.

The Guyana Chronicle on Thursday culled the reaction from several Guyanese on these new measures, and the general consensus revealed that the government’s efforts are noteworthy, but additional measures would have been welcome
Below are the views expressed by the man in the street:

GEORGE SANG (Anglican Priest): “We have to be thankful for what the government gives us. We can’t fight them down. We don’t have a senior citizens’ party. We can’t force the hand; we have to listen to them. And I hope they will pass the Money Laundering Bill and it will be finished.”

BARBARA BASCOMBE (security guard): “To me, the government needs to do something more, something about the NIS pension. I am working since 1992. It is good what they doing, but they could do a little bit more. Senior people shouldn’t have to pay when they go in a bus. Make it like a pension fund.”

MALCOLM DYER (maintenance man): “The government can’t do more, man. Guyanese, they’re never satisfied; and the opposition is a pack of hypocrites with this backbiting. Nothing wrong with what government is doing. The only thing I study is the children with transportation, coming to town and going home at nights. Sometimes they does be at the park until 8.30 pm.”

“I don’t study big people. I only study the children. But it is a good move by the government. And they could never please Guyanese people; can’t please them.”

D. PRIMO (Vendor): “The US$3 isn’t really any kind of money. That’s rough on us, cause we got bills to pay. Some of (the elderly) don’t work nowhere, some of them got to pay house rent, phone bill, light bill, we got to buy stocks and that can’t pay. Something more could put on; just a small something.”

RAJ SINGH (Taxi driver): “I think the government trying, but old age pension could go up a little more because cost of living is very high. If you look at the price for buns and cake and bread-is $200 and $300 dollars. A pound of cheese is a $1,000, and a tray of eggs is a $1,000, so $2,000 done there with two items.

“So they could raise (old age pension) a little more.”

EULA JEFFREY (Vendor): “Thirteen thousand can’t really maintain a person whole month. That can’t ‘mind’ people. They could do something more. I does pay a fair amount of light bill and I never apply for the allowance thing.”

“But the pensioners need something more man, because thirteen can’t really maintain nobody. Even if they raise it to the twenty, we could try with that, or even fifteen.”

UNCLE GOBIN (Fish vendor): “That is inadequate. Six hundred dollars is an inadequate increase for any pensioner. I am a pensioner and I am not satisfied, but there is nothing I could do about it, because I am not the government.

“The government has to do more to cater for the poor.”
By Ravin Singh