Senior citizens surviving on meager pensions while cost of living continues to rise

Jul 08, 2024 News

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Kaieteur News – While the effects of the high cost of living can be felt in every section of society, the struggles are especially felt on the nation’s most vulnerable; the poor and the elderly.

Kaieteur News caught up with several old pensioners who spoke about the impact that the high cost of living has on their quality of life.  Many of them survive on a little more than $36,000 old pension package which the State grants them a monthly basis.

Juliana Joseph, 81, a retired teacher related: “I think the cost of living is very high and think something must be done to reduce it….  I really feel that we could do with something more. For a person is depending on $36,000, (I) can’t survive on that, it cannot last a week.  The government needs to do some kind of price control so that price is not fixed on the fantasies of those market people to protect the vulnerable people. We are a country getting oil money and all sorts of things, therefore it should be evident with the people, we must benefit from that.”

Joy Couchman, 73, a former Ministry of Public Works employee: “It is very inadequate for me but I got to try by God’s grace because there is nothing I can do about it.  It is very small to

me. I am solely dependent on the pension money. I have to pay rates and taxes some months; I pay and some months, I don’t because I have to eat, I have to buy toiletries for myself. I have to go to the hospital ….Right now, I don’t even have gas to cook and get something to eat. I got to go buy a bottle of gas and actually after buying that money done. I wish the government could raise the money more; it will be a little better for me.”

Anthony Clark, 74, retired policeman: “I find it a hard time with the money we are receiving now, because if you aren’t careful, if you go in the market and

if you don’t write a list and go with that list and show yourself, you in trouble. All the years you’re working, them say you suppose to save for when old age meet, you can’t only depend on old age pension, but when you working you can’t even get to save nothing that why you end up in this predicament when you reach old age. I’m a retired police, cost of living is so high…and they need to give pensioners more benefit, because in all of our life as big people, you contributing to the country someway, somehow.”

Veira Smith, 80, teacher: “ I have learnt from since I was a child that you try and stretch whatever that you have and when you stretch it and you don’t have any more, you do without but doing without is your business. What I am trying to say is that the money is small but I’m thankful for it. In terms of providing for my basic necessities, I am not really managing and you have to study about saving a little money in case you get sick. By the time first week, you collect pension it finish. As soon as I get my money I try to buy my goods, you sacrifice your stomach sometimes.  In the 70’s things were very cheap… You can’t go lavish these days. I need that money to take care of my health.”

Brian Vansluytman, 66, former seaman: “The cost of living is not compatible with the money we are receiving. I have other resources to sustain me I resign from sea work and so on, it was not something, I choose to look forward to…But for the people that solely depending on the pension money, it can be a challenge. You could see the strain… In terms of bills and basic necessities I imagine it is really difficult sometimes. People looking forward for the money but by the time they get it, with the bills and everything sometime before the month finish, money done. ”

Phillip Bourne, 76: “No, the pension is not enough for me, my problem is the food, food prices have increased but apart from food prices that have increased I can cope. I am not coping well but I am surviving…I eat three meals a day and I pay my bills. ”

Patricia Parks, 84: “Well it is not good enough at all, because as soon you get your money, and go in the supermarket, all the money just finish. I have light to pay; I have other little things to do,

I trying to build my house right now, it hard, and it really hard.”

Lolita Lewis, 62: “Well I am a single person and it is affecting me a lot a lot, …because the money  cant last you a month, you know you got to eat, you got to wear, you gah drink, it’s very hard. I will like to ask the government just like how they giving the school children a grant, why can’t every month pensioners get a grant.  We get all this oil money, help me nah.”

George Persaud, 68: “Everything going up, all over, so we got to accept….Everything going up; every day!”

Patricia [only name given] 84: “Terrible (Cost of living), I have to be contented, it is not easy but we got to trust God, it is not easy but we got to trust God and be thankful for whatever I can do.”

 

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• high cost of living, Human interest, pension, pensioners, struggles

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