Saturday, October 4 2008

AT LEAST two pensioners are complaining that their old age pension cheques were being drastically cut, despite a $300 increase announced in the 2008/2009 budget.

Cecil Changa, 67, of Hermitage Village, La Romaine, said he applied for his old-age pension last year and began receiving it in May.

He first received $500, the next month he got none and then his payments for the two months following that varied between $24.99 and $490.

Changa said he was hoping after Government announced an increase in old age pension in the Budget, he would get $1,950 at the end of September. He only got $500. He said he went to the Ministry of Social Development offices in San Fernando and was told that he was getting a reduced pension because of several reasons.

According to Changa, he was told that since he received a pension from the NIS, in the amount of $2,000, and had other “assets,” he was not qualified for the $1,950 old age pension.

Changa denied that he had any “big savings,” but admitted that he did own his house.

He also said he was a “heart patient” and had huge medical bills to pay. Changa also said his wife was 60 years old, so he has to take care of both of them.

“I suffer with my heart and I have no money. I don’t know what I am going to do.”

Another pensioner, Robert Hodson, 80, of Cedar Drive, Pleasantville, also complained that his pension was cut to $500, a month.

A former employee with San Fernando City Corporation, Hodson said he used to get a monthly pension of $1,550 a month.

However, in July, he began to collect $ 500 a month.

Hodson also admitted that he was in receipt of an NIS pension of $ 2,000 a month, but said he wanted to know why the amount of his old age pension was so low.

“I believe I am getting robbed. I know people who are getting NIS pay outs and pension at the same time,” Hodson said.

An official at the Ministry of Social Development, in an attempt to shed some light on the matter, said pensioners who are in receipt of an NIS pension, should expect to get less than the $1,950 a month in old age pension.

According to the official, “If someone’s income is from $0 to $12,000 a year, the entire pension is given. When the income is between $12,000 to $30,000, the person will receive part of their pension. By income, we mean National Insurance as well.

“Not all pensioners get NIS, so this is how some get their entire (old age) pension. Also, housewives who never worked, will not receive NIS pay outs. They may still receive the entire (old age) pension.”

The official also said that the assets a pensioner possesses are also used to determine how much pension he or she should receive.

“We look to see if you have a home, savings or NIS before we give pension,” the official said.