Dear Editor,
The Ministry of Social Protection cannot be exonerated from responsibility for the careless printing of wrong numbers on the November payment vouchers for several old age pensioners in Region 2. As a consequence they did not receive their money for this month. The same problem occurs on the vouchers for the month of December which inevitably means that they would not be able to get payment for that month as well. Questions have been raised as to how they would able to survive without pension money for two consecutive months through no fault of their own.
The mistake was detected at the Suddie Post office last Friday where it was observed that the identical seven digit numbers usually printed at two places on the vouchers were not the same. In the book presented by me on an authorization from my wife to collect her November money, the left side of the voucher bore the number 07173-16 with the right side in larger print showing 071734-16. It remains the same way for the month of December. Payment was refused me and I was advised by a postal attendant to bring the anomaly to the attention of the ministry’s office at Anna Regina for corrective measures to be taken..
The only consolation from the Anna Regina office was the statement that to err is human, but no sympathy was shown to those affected for the difficult times ahead of them. No time frame was provided as to how soon corrective measures would be taken, but it is hoped that the subject minister will ensure that expeditious action is taken within the shortest possible time.
Pensioners do not deserve to suffer any unnecessary discomfort or inconvenience, and the state has an obligation to protect their well-being at all times.
Yours faithfully,
Baliram Persaud
