1992 Old age pension remains an unfulfilled promise

Apr 06, 2012 Letters

Dear Editor,
The 2012 budget that was presented in the National Assembly by the Minister of Finance is a clear indication that the Ramotar administration will be a mirror image of the Jagdeo era. The government’s budget can only be classified as anti –working class; anti small man and a precursor of hard times to come for those considered “less fortunate”.
What I find ironic, is that apart from bailing out GuySuCo, this budget represents a symbolic kick in the gut to a majority of traditional PPPC supporters, who must be having buyers’ remorse for the choice they made on November 28, last year.
In 1992 while campaigning for the Presidency, Dr. Cheddi Jagan (then leader of the PPP) made a promise to the working men and women of Guyana, that if elected he would raise the old age pension to $10,000. We have experienced 20 years of continuous PPP governments and that promise which was made to the hard working men and women of this country is still a pipe dream.
For while, the PPP as a party in opposition espoused the value of the working man and woman and pretended to champion their cause. As a government their policies and programmes have not matched their rhetoric. Dr. Jagan in 1992 talked about establishing a lean and clean government, but ask the man in the street to describe the PPP in office in one word, and there is a high probability that he or she would say “corrupt” or “thieving”.
In Dr Singh’s budget presentation there was money in the billions of dollars to prop-up the ailing sugar industry and the equally under performing Electricity Corporation. There were allocations for all the pet projects of the Jagdeo era; Hydro; Airport; Hotel etc.
What was shocking was the paltry sum of money that was thrown at our retirees and the poor. Under the 2012 budgetary allocations public assistance has been increased from $5,500 to $5, 900; while old age pension has increased from $7,500 to $8,100 per month.
When this is juxtaposed against the pension of President Jagdeo who receives approximately $1 million monthly( as his pension) and another $ 2 million in benefits, the paltry amount given to those who have spent a life time working to build this nation becomes even more ridiculous.
After working for just 12 years (and still a very young man) Jagdeo is paid what amounts to a King’s ransom, while Pensioners can barely buy bread. The PPP promised in 1992, that when it took over from the PNC it would turn Guyana into a “workers’ paradise”; twenty years later and the workers of this nation are catching hell.
Wages in the public sector remain at “starvation levels” and have not kept pace with inflation; there will no relief from the burdensome 16 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) and sadly no pay raise for public sector employees.
Supporters of this government, I am sure, are asking themselves what are the benefits of continued support (apart from ethnic pride in the Presidency). With the cost of living expected to increase and fuel prices on the rise, the future for the working poor in Guyana seems pretty bleak.
There will be no War on Poverty; there will be no benevolent government safety net. However the rich and well connected will continue to do well under the Ramotar administration.
These Oligarchs, who represent less than one per cent of the population, will be able to give glowing testimonials and millions of dollars to “the party”; a party built on the backs of poor working peasants who continue to give their votes every five years to an institution that continue to neglect and disrespect them.
I was taught that “charity begins at home” but the evidence clearly shows, that there is no love for the working man by this PPP government. The working class party of old that promised them a living wage and a workers paradise is now a rich man club.
In their own self interest PPP supporters should start looking for another home.
Mark Archer

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