Around 60% of pension books handed out
Stabroek News
January 27, 2003
Chief Social Worker, Orville Stuart, says despite a few administrative problems some 60% of the Old Age Pension booklets have been distributed.
Distribution of new Old Age Pension booklets for this year commenced earlier this month. At the commencement there were a few administrative and other hiccups that severely affected the smooth distribution of the booklets. Moreover, some of the pensioners had also complained about the long lines they have been made to wait in for their books.
Stuart in an interview with Stabroek News last week said that one of the issues which is affecting distribution is that owners of some of the centres are asking for a rental to be paid. According to Stuart, traditionally the ministry had used those very centres free of cost but this year the management of some of the centres had been asking for money. He said the department did not budget for that and as such it is difficult for it to come up with the money at present.
The Chief Social Worker posited that despite the problem the distribution process has been going smoothly. He noted that the department is well set to meet its March deadline and pensioners across the country can be assured of uplifting their booklets once they visit their respective centres. Further, he said distribution in the interior locations has begun and in areas such as Bartica, Linden and St Cuthbert's Mission has been going very well.
He said with the assistance of a few volunteers and community members the Social Workers have been able to complete distributing a large portion of the books given to them. Some 37,000 books were printed. Pensioners across the country will receive $1820 every month.
