More people receiving old age pension

Jun 20, 2010 News

By Rabindra Rooplall

For last year, data indicates that there has been a steady increase in the recipients of old age pension. The last 2009 figure shows that there are 43,398 pensioners. Statistics show that from January 2009 there were 40,794 recipients of old age pension and this figure constantly escalated.

Data also indicates that there is a steady increase in the recipients of public assistance, with this number adding up to 9,186 last year. This means that more persons are making use of the services offered by the Ministry of Human Services.

From this year, old age pension was raised to $6,600 per month, while public assistance was $4,900 per month. This was announced by Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh.

It was reported that under these programmes, more than 50,000 elderly and otherwise vulnerable beneficiaries are expected to receive direct income support on a monthly basis. According to reports, given the income and expenditure profile of the beneficiaries, almost all of the amounts disbursed are transmitted immediately into the domestic economy through consumption of goods and services.

Reports disclosed earlier in the year that in addition to other initiatives such as the water rates assistance programme, under which Government provides financial support to meet water charges on behalf of old age pensioners, the staggered electricity tariff structure which sees household consumers of small amounts of electricity below a specified monthly threshold being billed at a concessional rate, there is the Government’s residential programme for the elderly such as at the Palms, along with the several public health care programmes aimed at enhancing and improving the scope and quality of services offered by the public health care system thereby contributing to improved quality of life.

Recent years have witnessed a rapid increase in the amounts paid by Government under the old age pension and public assistance programme.

The new monthly rates announced by the Minister of Finance are 80 percent higher than 2007 levels in the case of old age pensions and 98 percent higher than 2007 levels in the case of public assistance. Minister Singh also drew attention to and commended highly, the successful steps taken by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security in improving the timeliness with which old age pension books are distributed.

This has contributed in a very significant measure to minimising, and in most cases eliminating the delay with which beneficiaries can access their entitlement.