Don’t forget the pensioners in the budget

By Stabroek News On In Letters to the Editor |

Dear Editor,

I ask the Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Kumar Singh to remember the 35,000 pensioners in his Budget 2008.

I do realise that these pensioners received an increase in their pension allocations from G$3,675 per month to G$6,000 per month two weeks ago.

However, I believe that pensions need to be “leading” inflation” and wage increases need to “lag” inflation. An increase to G$10,000 per month from G$6,000 per month would cost the Government G$1,780Bn and does not contribute significantly to inflation. This will put pensioners “ahead of the inflation rate”.

Yours faithfully,

Sean Brignandan