The word from Dr. Vindya Persaud’s ministry is that there is a hiccup, that a delay in the distribution of 2025 pension books is all but inevitable. In the middle of November, this is now reality. From the heights of Vice President’s Bhar-rat Jagdeo’s chief policymaking office, the words were sharper. Some bad people did some bad things with the much-awaited and much-prized pension books of Guyana’s geriatric brigade. They tampered with (allegedly) the setup, seemingly carted away a bundle of the books, and have sent the distribution into a tailspin. So that everybody keep their tranquility hats on, the words used are mine alone.
Notwithstanding that liberty, the substances stand in more or less the same sturdy fashion. The Ministry of Finance has been summoned to mount a rescue operation. Considering the amount of business that has been placed in the hands of Dr. AK Singh, I think the guy should be president. For life. Of course, that would mean I need to take up life somewhere else. Jagdeo may be as bad as he is, but is still believed to have some blood flowing in him. The other fine gentleman from Finance is colder than the zinc sheet in a mortuary. Arguably, just as deadly.
To Dr. AK has been given the responsibility for affixing some security feature in the books. I didn’t know that he operated a printery, or that he is that much of a technology man. Ah, I get it: delegation to the crowd of resident experts. Since things are looking up, it is now proper that I look over in the direction of the good doctor Vindya. Of late, she hasn’t said much, felt it wiser to leave the talking to Dr. Bhar-rat “Talking Head” Jagdeo. How many hats does this polymath wear, that is my question.
After all, elections are coming up, and loose lips can sink one’s chances of coming back into the counting for a cabinet position. Whether PPP royalty and pedigree or not, the only ingredient that counts is total loyalty to the man in charge of policy. As a procedure, I have the temerity to recommend to Dr. Vindy (see how familiar I can make myself) that the extra time given to her ministry be used to implement two things in the upcoming 2025 pension book distribution, whenever it comes.
First one, Comrade Minister, is please do give the pensioners (the sickly of spirit, the rubbery of ankle and neck, the empty of belly [and much more]) a few additional days to collect their half million dollars for next year. Why confine the distribution process to a day or two (or three) and make meat sausages of Guyanese elderly. Imagine that as an exhibit titled Because we Care. Spread out the process, and give the older folks a chance to spend the hours of their silver years a bit less stressfully.
Also, Madam Minister, just don’t spread out the days, give the people places that are more spread out. Surely, with 83,000 square miles, there are enough places for the greybeards and grey-headed in Guyana to stretch out their legs. If I may be allowed to resort to form for a moment, what has happened in the past (time and places allotted) amount to acute elder abuse. If I remember through the haze of age, Human Services include caring for the elderly, doesn’t it? I would hate to make an issue of this, so please consider, Hon. Minister.
Last, something jarred the edges of memory. It was Dr. Smallie (small brother Bharrat) himself who had proudly announced that the old age pension increase would be $7,000 in total for 2024 and 2025. I am ready to swear to that, and I am no damn godless communist. So, when I now hear of next year’s pension going to $41,000, the thought that came was whether the $40,000 pension books became obsolete, so some teef men had to be found for pension books that were, shall I say, adjusted.
Master Jagdeo was the one who more than once made the connection about how he singlehandedly doubled what the PNC did for pensioners. The extra $1,000 could be helping in asserting that the PPP Government did more than better when compared to what the PNC Government did. A thousand more than was committed to, set in stone, cannot be about cost of living pressures, since such do not exist, according to the PPP brain trust. Whatever the reason, Guyanese old people cannot complain.
First, they got $100,000 for cash relief, and now they get one thousand more for their monthly pension bonanza. My last thought is this: whoever they are in the PPP Government that thought I am a moron just made a monkey of themselves.
