Senior Citizens considered already dead

THE EDITOR: The eradication of poverty in this country is only a big farce as I acknowledge all the time, and I consider it is as only rhetoric. Senior citizens have no chance with this present Prime Minister, Mr Patrick Manning. As far as he is concerned they do not exist, as far as the evidence shows nothing was mentioned in the budget for Senior citizens. When the Creator gives persons long life they are not considered in this country by the present regime. The government fails to realise that the people advanced in age are the ones who helped to build this country, and some consideration should be given for their great effort and contribution. We have a tendency to forget the past, but a lot of these people supported the late Prime Minister, Dr Eric Williams, and still boast of being “PNM Til a Dead.”

Catering for the younger generation is not considered to be negative, but many children go to school as a formality and to socialise but we see from those who got scholarships who are interested in education. Should senior citizens be eliminated from society because it is felt that they have nothing to offer again? We always follow the American way of life, but this is one way we have not followed. The people in power do not seem to respect their elders as evidence shows. As I said previously, pensioners are virtual beggars because when they receive their meager pension, and pay their debts nothing remains and then the begging starts! Can a pensioner live on that pension with the high cost of living we experience on a daily basis?

Before the UNC came into government the Prime Minister, Mr Manning used to increase the pension by $30.00 or thereabout, but when the UNC came into power the pension was increased by $100 in every budget. But senior citizens who used to say “I is PNM. Til Ah Dead” is singing a different song now. I hope the Senior Citizens would come to their senses while realising that the PNM. only want their vote at election time, and then they are forgotten, so do not be a PNM till you are dead, because as far as they are considered you are already dead. It is a pity that in spite of all the oil and gas wealth senior citizens are treated this way. The former regime would not have treated these people in this way without increasing their pension.

HORACE DESORMEAUX
Maraval