Dear Editor,
The Government through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, has unveiled and published its dates, venues and times for area regarding the ‘Old Age Pension Books for 2025, taking effect from December 4, 2025.
While the Government has announced methods of registration, and that ‘Public Servants’ and ‘Pensioners’ will be first categories to benefit from the $100K cash grant; with a date or dates when distributions are to commence.
What is worrying is that while Joint Services, Public Servants and Teachers are currently registering at their places of employment, the Government is yet to announce how they intend to treat with the approximate 70,000 who are receiving OAP. Additionally, they have announced and published notices of registration for NIS Pensioners, to take effect from December 2, 2024. This will be done at NIS Central Offices in Georgetown and all sub-offices across regions.
A question to ask, does the Government have any compassion and love for its elderly citizens, especially does who are feeble and makes every attempt to access government services, without dependency? During the first day in every month, we witnessed the long queues at Post Offices, whenever Old Age Pensions, or in some cases NIS pensions are to be paid.
Any Government who cares genuinely for its elderly, will ensure a mechanism is put in place to ensure our pensioners are registered hassle free, avoid all bureaucracies, and having to travel distance from their homes to get registered for the $100K cash grant. They are persons receiving both NIS and Old Age pensions, while this is the case, many are fortunate to navigate without challenges, while they are others suffering from severe health issues. Again, has the government given thoughts to these issues?
With the schedule distribution of Pension Books by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Services, it would have worked well for the Government and Pensioners to have the registration for the $100K cash grant done simultaneously. All it requires is for additional staffers from the Ministry of Finance, equipped with their tools and resources to effect the registration process, after the pensioners are served by the staff from Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.
Our country is now an oil rich economy and there should be no lack or want of the Government. I say that to say that both Ministries of Human Services and Social Security and Finance should be working in collaboration, with the data provided by Human Services on the number of pensioners at the venues to be serviced, and once there is need for the RDCs or NDCs to give support, in ensuring that all our elderly folks are registered. Meals and beverages, whether hot and cold can be provided. I don’t think it’s too hard for the Government to provide the resources.
Therefore, I call on the Government to view my propositions for what they are worth and used an area as a pilot test, then they will recognize how easy life can be for our people. I look forward to seeing the Government adapt my proposal.
Finally Editor, I end by asking, if the Government fails to implement the recommendations contained in this my letter, can they say when an announcement for Old Age Pensioners to be registered for the $100K cash grant, will be made?
Yours truly,
Annette Ferguson, MP
