Financial woes of government retirees

THE EDITOR: From 1986 to date (19 years) older government pensioners have received only two very small taxable increases to their pensions while the cost of living and inflation have risen steeply and continuously, causing many of these to eke out a living almost under pauperised conditions. With no legal entity to bargain for them, they waited with bated breath for government sympathy, “budget after budget,” but little came.

Is it because retirees are generally regarded as state liabilities, rather than past contributors to our present heritage? On September 6, another budget is due and TTARP as well as TTUTA retirees section have submitted almost identical proposals to the Ministry of Finance to alleviate the financial woes of government retirees and the aged. Some of these proposals are as follows:-
1) Pensions should be index-linked with Cola.
2) Pensions up to $60,000 a year should be non-taxable
3) Monthly pensions of government retirees should be revised immediately
4) An independent Pensions Commission should be set up without delay to have government pension reviews and
5) All persons above 65 regardless of their income, should qualify for old age pension. All government retirees and senior citizens look forward with optimism to Government’s response in this year’s budget.

HARDEO RAMSINGH
Government retiree
Chaguanas