There were noticeable improvements in the distribution of Old Age Pension books in and around Georgetown yesterday and Human Services Minister Bibi Shadick says Berbicians will be able to uplift theirs soon.

The minister said that she had been monitoring the progress of the centres and the response and reports from the officers had been satisfactory.

"With the assistance of a few volunteers and renewed efforts from some of the social workers, the distribution process has improved tremendously and if continued, we will be able to complete the process in another six weeks' time." Earlier this week it was chaotic as pensioners stood in long lines for hours at undermanned centres waiting for books to inaugurate the new distribution system.

Shadick stressed that over the years pensioners were made to wait in long lines and had to return to their homes sometimes without their books and the payment. "What they are going through now is nothing new to them, but because the system is new and they have not fully adjusted themselves to it, it seems as though the old system was better," she said.

According to her, the books for Berbice were delivered and more centres will be in operation over the weekend, continuing until the process is completed. She said that her ministry would step up its public relations drive and more advertisements would be placed in the newspapers and notices put up on walls and at corners where everyone will have access to them.

"We realise it will take some time for you to get accustomed to the new system, but if you allow it to work in the long run all of us would be pleased. I implore you pensioners to remain calm and patient you will be attended to and we are trying our utmost to help you," the minister assured.

Stabroek News Berbice correspondent Daniel DaCosta said that the books are likely to be shared out on Monday.

Shadick reported that in Region Three the officer there indicated that everything was working well and he was hoping to complete distribution in two weeks' time. In Region Ten there were also good reports as well as for regions Two, Five and Seven, the minister informed.

Meanwhile, according to reports yesterday, the distribution in Georgetown was very smooth and even though many pensioners crowded the centres, officers were seen working assiduously to complete their quota of books. According to a source, at the Night Shelter the officer reported that she had distributed a large number of books.

At the other centres there were also reports that the officers were all working with at least one assistant and books were being distributed reasonably well. However, there have been complaints of inadequate seating for the elderly and because sometimes the place is small many of the pensioners are made to stand in the sun.

In Berbice several centres have been identified for distribution. They include Sisters Police Station and the Edinburgh NDC building, East Bank Berbice; Cumberland Village Office and Good Banana Land NDC office, East Canje Berbice; Bohemia NDC office, Fryish Village Office, Albion Community Centre, Whim NDC, Alness Mother's Union Hall, Kildonan Community Centre, Number 47 Village Office, Black Bush Polder NDC office, Number 54 Village office, Motie's residence Number 64 Village, Number 68 Skills Training Centre, Springlands Administrative Building and Crabwood Creek NDC village office.

Some pensioners expressed concern over the likely use of the New Amsterdam Town Hall as they would need to ascend two flights of stairs. No dates or times have yet been fixed for the distribution. According to a source, distribution of books would also have to be done at Orealla on the Corentyne and in the Canje River.

Shadick was quoted in a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release on Wednesday apologising profusely to pensioners in Berbice after the books were inadvertently left at the ministry in Georgetown. According to GINA, long lines of pensioners had converged at centres in Berbice and up to 3 pm on Thursday the books had not reached the centres.

She had also said that Labour, Human Services and Social Security Minister Dale Bisnauth along with Technical Adviser within the ministry, Rajendra Bissessar, and the local board of guardians were expected to oversee the distribution process in Berbice.