MINISTER of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence says her new position on old age pension is dictated by the law, and she is simply enforcing the old age pension act, which was neglected over the years.Her announcement that overseas-based Guyanese would not be able to access their pension did not sit well with many citizens home and abroad.

On Tuesday during an interview with Government Information Agency (GINA), the minister disclosed that measures are being put in place by her Ministry to ensure that Guyanese who live in other countries do not access a Guyana pension.

Minister Lawrence emphasised that there will be no “double-dipping” under her watch.

“We have persons who believe that it is their right to live in a foreign country and collect their pensions here… we are saying no, it is not going to happen,” she was quoted as saying.

However, in response to growing criticisms, the Social Protection Minister, in a statement on Wednesday, maintained that the Ministry is simply implementing the Law.

Minister Lawrence pointed out that old age pension is not an entitlement from employment, as in the case of government pension and National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pension, but a monthly pension of $18,200 paid to eligible Guyanese aged 65 and older.

It is provided for under the old age pension Act (Chapter 36:03), which states that applicants must meet certain statutory conditions to qualify for old age pension.

According to the conditions outlined in the Act, applicant must have attained the age of 65 and satisfied the appropriate authority that he or she has been a citizen of Guyana for at least 10 years, immediately preceding his or her claim for a 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,” the Social Protection Minister pointed out as she alluded to the Act.

It was also pointed out that 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.

ERRONEOUS
“The current policy that both the previous and current Government has followed to date dictates that persons applying for old age pension must have been living in Guyana for at least two years preceding their application. It is precisely this approach that was highlighted by the recently conducted audit as erroneous, since the law actually prescribes that the old age pension applicant ‘must have been ordinarily resident in Guyana during the 20 years immediately preceding his or her claim for pension,’” she said.

But the opposition’s Chief Whip in the National Assembly, Gail Teixeira begged to differ. According to the Teixeira, it would appear as though the Social Protection Minister is unaware of the Constitution and Legal conundrum she has opened.

“If a Guyanese, as defined in the Constitution, earned their pension in another country, it cannot be considered double-dipping, if they apply and are approved for the non-contributing old age pension in Guyana, which is provided for under the Poor Relief Law,” the opposition Chief Whip posited, as she addressed reporters at Freedom House.

A CONTRADICTION
She further opined that such a move by the Social Protection Ministry is a contradiction of Government’s call for overseas-based Guyanese to return home and invest.

“Is the minister aware that many Guyanese return here to live in Guyana after long years of toil and cold weather and hardships, to live here on the pensions they have duly earned in another country, and most have to return every six months to keep that pension available?”
The old age pension was meant to help the poor and vulnerable, she emphasised, in addition to those who did not earn public service pension, National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pension or any private pension.

However, the PPP had removed the means test, which had stated prior to 1994, that if a person was earning a pension, he or she would not be qualified for old age pension.

“Is the minister, by her statement, returning to the pre-1992 position of the PNC Government, stating that one could only have one pension?”

In order to access old age pension, Guyanese must be living in Guyana for a minimum of two years.

The Opposition Chief Whip also took umbrage of the minister’s decision to single out residents of the hinterland regions. In the interview with GINA, Minister Lawrence contended that there are persons in hinterland regions with more than one identification card who collect pension under one name and then travel to another region and collect under another name.

“Interesting, the minister didn’t focus on the one per cent, who are upper middle class people, who also applied, and who also receive old age pension, but instead she focuses on the interior residents, most of whom are Amerindians, most of whom are unable to earn NIS pensions, instead, she declared that people collect from two administrative regions, if the minister knows anything about the interior of Guyana, this is highly improbable as the travelling cost would be more than the actual contributions of the old age pension.”

The PPP is therefore calling on the Government to review its decisions with respect to the access of old age pension.