– Guyana has some 44,000 old age pensioners on register
– More than $300M is expended each month in the payment of old age pensions in order to support persons over 65-years-old
– From the day a person turns 65-years-old they are entitled to old age pension and Minister Priya Manickchand said since 1992, the number of persons benefitting has more than doubled
THE distribution of 2011 pension books will begin today and Minister of Human Services and Social Security Ms. Priya Manickchand said that she loves this period of the year where she looks forward to serving Guyana’s elderly. Manickchand contends that the moves being made by her Ministry are based on a commitment to make the system more user-friendly for pensioners.
Manickchand said, “We are bringing the benefits as close as possible to the pensioners…we are decentralizing to make the system more user-friendly and, as a result, we have dozens of locations all across Guyana.”
Guyana has some 44,000 old age pensioners on register and, starting today, Ministry officials will be at several designated locations, as close as possible to the homes of pensioners, to ensure access to the pension books.
Officers are expected to be at each location for at least a day, and in most cases on many different scheduled days, during the distribution process which is expected to run until sometime during the third week of December.
According to the Human Services and Social Security Minister, over $300M is expended each month in the payment of old age pensions in order to support persons over 65-years-old.
From the day a person turns 65-years-old, they are entitled to old age pension and Minister Manickchand said since 1992 the number of persons benefiting has more than doubled.
Prior to 1992, she explained that old age pensioners were subject to a dreaded ‘Means Test’, where pensioners had to show they had no means and which was used to deny many persons the benefits they now receive.  
“When the PPP/Civic was elected into office, the Government promised that there would no longer be a ‘Means Test’…(and) in 1993 this was done,” Manickchand said.
The minister said she is pleased that the burdensome ‘means test’ has been quashed as all Guyanese, regardless of their means, ethnicity, gender and geographic location, should benefit from old age pension.
Currently, to benefit from old age pension a person has to be 65-years-old, a Guyanese and living in Guyana two years prior to receiving this benefit.
The Human Services and Social Security Minister observed that significant moves have been made to step up support to the elderly in Guyana and these are evidenced in the different initiatives being advanced by the administration.
While acknowledging that there are some areas that need to be improved on, as there is always room for improvement, Minister Manickchand stressed that efforts are being made to continuously improve on the support given to the elderly.
She calls on family members to “children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews…” to also play their part in making the lives of their parents and foreparents happy.

INCREASES
Case in point, she highlighted the fact that over the past 10 years, the amount given as old age pension has consistently increased with an 80% increase being given in 2007/2008.
When asked about an increase in the pension for 2011, the Human Services and Social Security Minister noted that if there is to be one, it will be announced later this year.

However, Manickchand said her ministry will not wait for that announcement before handing out the pension books.
“For the last four years or so, we have been giving books out early,” she said, noting that all are in the quest to improve the support systems.

Minister Manickchand also disclosed that her ministry is in talks with at least two local commercial banks to put a mechanism in place which would allow pensioners to collect their pensions at their branches, other than at post offices.
She said the procedure to get a pension book takes about six weeks from the time of application to delivery but instances where it takes longer should be reported at a higher level to be addressed.
Manickchand said other complaints, which are being looked into, include occasions when pensioners go to post offices and are told there is no money to pay pensions.
She recalled: “That was one of the first things I did during my tenure as Minister. The Ministry met with the Post Office Corporation and it was agreed that this will not be the reality facing pensioners. There are one or two instances when it does happen but it is alleviated for the most part.”    
Another problem encountered by pensioners is when they have to join long lines and Manickchand said that is why efforts are being made to increase payout locations.
However, she explained that with 44,000 people to serve across the country, someone will always be first and someone will always be last in the time they appear to encash their vouchers.
Manickchand mentioned, too, that the Administration takes care of pensioners’ water bills which are reduced through a significant waiver, $11,880 in Georgetown and $8,896 elsewhere.
She said old age pensioners are also assisted to purchase spectacles when they are in need.
Month of the Elderly was observed  last month (October) and during its launch, at the Palms Geriatric Home, Minister Manickchand made it clear that before 2011, there will not only be a continuation of service to the elderly, but improvements in the delivery of services.  She subsequently opened a recreation facility at the Palms and presented to its administrator a minibus to help transport residents of the Palms.  
The month’s observance was held under the theme ‘Working for the Elderly, Celebrating their contributions to Guyana’.
The Human Services and Social Security Minister said that the elderly have given a lifetime of service and the government is committed to bettering their lives in their golden years.

PULL QUOTE:
Guyana has some 44,000 old age pensioners on register and, starting today, Ministry officials will be at several designated locations, as close as possible to the homes of pensioners, to ensure access to the pension books.