THIS DEBATE SHOULD NOT BE ABOUT SCORING POLITICAL POINTS

Jan 30, 2011 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

The number of persons on the old-age pension receipts is way too high. This must not be spun as a call for eligible persons to be taken off the list, but simply a demand that the list be examined to ensure that only those entitled to old-age pensions should receive those pensions.
The number of persons receiving old-age pensions is way too high considering that the life expectancy in Guyana a few years back was 55 years, the age at which old-age pensions are paid is 65, and there is supposed to be a residency requirement for the receipt of these pensions. Against this background there needs to be a scientific explanation as to why the number of old-age pension registrants has increased to some 44,000.
There may be a number of possible scenarios which explain these increases but it needs to be established what the real reasons are for this steep increase.
If, for example, there are persons who are residing overseas who are receiving pensions, these persons need to be removed. If there are persons who are no longer alive but their pensions are somehow being paid, they also need to be removed. If there are under-aged persons on the roll, they need to be taken off. These are all possibilities which should be investigated because of the steep increase in the number of old age pensioners over the past few years.
It may well be, however, that the rules may have changed and that persons who were formerly excluded from pensions are now eligible and therefore legitimately receiving pension. But in a small country like Guyana, where old-age pensions are very low, it is important that the rules be examined to ensure that they do not create loopholes for persons to take advantage of them.
For example, is it possible that persons living overseas are receiving old-age pensions? Given the huge numbers of elderly living overseas and the higher life expectancy that many of them enjoy, then should large numbers of overseas-based Guyanese be receiving pensions because of the eligibility requirements, this would place a great strain on our resources.
No overseas-based Guyanese should be receiving old-age pensions. Yet there are many of them who would like to receive these pensions and therefore this must be vigilantly guarded against.
These are the assurances that the public want, not political spin about seeking to deny eligible persons from receiving pensions. No eligible persons should be denied that, but no person. So what are the residency requirements which would ensure that persons living overseas do not claim old-age pensions? What are the systems in place to ensure that there are no risks of abuse of the system? Is it possible for someone to live in Guyana for more than two years, receive their pension books and then go overseas and authorize someone else to receive their old-age pensions for one year? Is this possible and what are the safeguards against this happening?
Is it also possible for persons who are below sixty-five to obtain a false birth certificate or someone else’s identification and uplift old-age pensions? What are the safeguards against this happening?
These are the issues which need to inform the debate on the old-age pensions. These issues are important for old-age pensioners themselves, since, once ineligible persons are removed from the list and it is culled, then the resources released can then be applied to pay higher pensioners.
It may be possible if the numbers are reduced to end up paying pensioners 25% of the lowest wage paid to public servants, that is, old-age pensioners should be receiving about $9,000-$10,000 per month, which would be a tidy sum, considering what the pensioners are currently receiving.
In the interest of ensuring improved benefits for pensioners and of being able to sustain the recently announced increases, the authorities should detail clearly what the eligibility requirements are, what are the safeguards in place to avoid abuse and what role the public can play in ensuring that ineligible persons do not find themselves on the list of old-age pension registrants.
This debate should not be about scoring cheap political points. It should be about ensuring benefits for old-age pensioners, many of whom given the life expectancy in Guyana, are not likely to be receiving pensions for extended years.

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