Pilot project slated for digitization of pension fund

Jul 19, 2016 News

In an effort to curtail any incidence of fraud with regards to persons collecting Old Age Pension, the Ministry of Social Protection has taken steps to roll out a pilot project for digitization of the monetary scheme.

An official attached to the Ministry confirmed that efforts are already underway to upgrade the system which was subject to citizens at home and abroad.
The pilot programme is expected to roll out in Region Five. It will not be limited to Old Age Pension but other monetary benefits offered by the Social Protection Ministry.
Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence had announced that the Ministry will be digitising the pension system to make it more efficient in identifying redundancies in the system.
Lawrence said that the Social Protection Ministry has engaged the Ministry of Public Telecommunications to ensure that the two agencies can collectively run a pilot of this electronic project.
The digitised database will also indicate to the Ministry, persons who are authorising others to collect their pensions, which is an indication that they are not in Guyana.
The digitising of the pension database will also see greater accountability within the pension system. Probation Officers will have more time to do additional field work and conduct visitations.
The announcement was made following revelations that the Old Age Pension scheme has been a subject of abuse.
“When persons not living in Guyana access pension from both the Guyana government and the country in which they live; it is unfair especially for elderly persons living here,” she said.
Lawrence said that recently the Old Age Pension scheme grew as an host of overseas-based Guyanese, who had returned for the 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations, took advantage to register to draw down the monies.
“These persons are looking to benefit both places; we can’t tolerate the double dipping,” the Minister stressed. She said that the issue of ‘double dipping’ is not limited to accessing pension, but also public assistance for school aged children.
“In the hinterland Regions we know there are persons with more than one identification card who draw (collect) pension under one name in one Region, then travel to the next and draw under the other name,” Minister Lawrence explained.
She explained that some students are beneficiaries of public assistance in Guyana, but they also benefit from similar assistance in neighbouring Brazil.
“To address this, guardians will have to submit an attendance report for the child so that they can continue accessing such assistance,” Minister Lawrence stated.
Last year, the issue was brought to the attention of the staff of the Ministry, who were advised that they will be held responsible and surcharged where books are issued with them knowing the persons do not live in Guyana.
In recent years, there have been accusations that the Government’s Old Age Pension scheme was laced with fraud, with many persons collecting under false pretence.

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