Officials accepting bribes for old age pension

Hopkins made the startling disclosure yesterday at a public forum for senior citizens hosted by the Ministry of Social Development.

The public forum which was held at Holy Faith Convent, Couva, was aimed at ensuring that persons are informed of the correct steps to take when applying for old age pension.

Addressing the senior citizens, Hopkins, who is the director of Social Welfare in the Ministry of Social Services, told scores of elderly people, that over the last two years certain officials of her ministry were found to be wrongfully accepting monies for their services.

Saying that the officials received a salary for their services, Hopkins said, “ The society is made up of good, bad and ugly. Unfortunately, our staff has been drawn from the society so we have come across a few instances where officials were found committing fraudulent activities.” Hopkins added, “There is absolutely no condition under which a person is required to hand over cash to any member of staff. Under no circumstances monies are to be exchanged between a person seeking pension and a officer.”

Warning the senior citizens that bribe payments would not guarantee that they qualify for old age pension, Hopkins said, “Certain procedures and requirements must be followed before anyone, over the age of 65 receives a pension cheque, if these requirements are not met persons would not qualify to receive old age pension.”

Hopkins said in instances where a problem arises between a person seeking old age pension and officers, a complaint must be immediately lodged and the matter would be investigated.

In instances where persons are overpaid in their cheques, Hopkins said that persons were not required to hand over the excess monies to any member of staff, but instead deposit the excess funds at a Board of Inland Revenue office. Hopkins also added that Government was cracking down on persons who were found to be committing fraudulent acts when they wrongfully cash pension cheques without permission.

Hopkins said in cases where a person was ill and could not cash his/ her cheque, a nominee would be selected. However, in instances where persons are dead pension cheques must be returned to the division after which the monies would would be re-released to the families.