Billions to assist the vulnerable

Aug 24, 2023 Editorial

Kaieteur News – The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security is seeking a US$30 million loan from the IDB to improve some of its programs. These programs include those serving recipients of senior citizen pensions, persons with disabilities, and those who have been impacted by gender-based violence. The systems around these programs need to be centralized and strengthened, so that the most vulnerable in Guyana’s population could be assisted in a more efficient, timely, and professional manner. The US$30 million (GY$6 billion) loan could, indeed, streamline the assistance process for Guyanese.

Currently, there are over 68,000 recipients of a monthly amount of GY$33,000, through the auspices of the Human Services Ministry. This is close to 9% of Guyana’s population (using 800,000 as a population approximation), who benefit from this provision. It is a positive that this longstanding program has been kept going, and also has benefited from small increases in the last few years. The concern is that this monthly pension of GY$33,000 to the elderly (65 years and over) represents only about 30% of what the recipients used to earn during their working days. While some of the 68,000 plus pension recipients may also receive some monthly pension amount from previous places of employment, there is the reality that such does not apply to many senior citizen pension beneficiaries. In other words, the only income they have past age 65 is the GY$33,000 they collect from one of the local Post Offices, or other places that have been approved to process their pension vouchers.

What this means is that the elderly in Guyana, whose sole source of income is their monthly pension from the State, are living with what the World Bank reported is the plight of close to half of Guyana. That is, 48% of Guyanese are forced to deal with, live on GY$1000 a day, however they can. By hook or crook, one meal or two a day, this is what pensioners stare at, and which is the source of much local bewilderment. Guyana is not like before, for today it has oil in abundance, and Guyanese read, or hear, or learn about how this is an extremely rich country and, better still, they are among the richest people in the world, if not the richest per person overall. Yet, they grapple with how to get by, actually survive daily.

When this context is extended into the indigenous community, tens of thousands more in the local population, face the same grim reality. The World Bank had noted that hinterland communities are particularly hard hit, and virtually function at the barest subsistence level. As can be seen, the numbers are already creeping up with these two groups only. When those with disabilities, those victimized and then economically wounded by gender-based violence, are brought into the picture, there are a significant number of citizens, who are severely impacted and struggling to make ends meet. Further, when eyes are cast at other segments in Guyana’s demographics, poorer Indians and Africans also have their backs to the wall. Whether there is agreement or dispute over the World Bank’s report that almost half of Guyanese are living under the tightest economic conditions, what is obvious is that the total number of weak, vulnerable, and deprived Guyanese are a considerable number.

Occasional remittances from overseas may tide the situation over temporarily. So, too, would post-retirement work, on a full-time or part-time basis, if such was available, and health conditions permitted such participation. For many elderly Guyanese, and others in vulnerable groups, this is more a wish and a dream, and not part of their reality. The reality in which they live is that of a very rich oil country, but they have little that is coming to them to lift them out of poverty. This is the biting, terrible, irony of Guyanese amid the grand pronouncements and projections about this world class oil patrimony.

The country is now supposedly awash in money, but the ordinary people are condemned to an impoverished existence. The US$30 million (GY$6 billion) should certainly contribute to enhanced systems, and smoother delivery, of social services. Some meaningful money in the hand of the struggling and anxious in Guyana would be infinitely better.

Editorial, Guyanese, GY$6 billion, IDB, Ministry of Human Services and Social Security

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