PPP Member of Parliament Janet Jagan on Wednesday accused the government of giving a “death penalty” to old age pensioners. The National Assembly was at the time debating a PPP motion calling for an increase in the means test for old age pensioners.
The motion which was moved by Mrs. Jagan originally called for an increase of the means test from $50 to $250. The means test is used to determine the eligibility of persons for old age pensions. If an elderly person earns $50 or more a month that person isn’t qualified to receive a pension. Mrs. Jagan said because the motion was over two years old the original figure of $250 was now inappropriate.
In moving the motion, Mrs. Jagan said that short of removing the means test entirely the sum should be increased to $750 and that should be adjusted as the minimum wage increased. The means test, said Mrs Jagan, keeps a person at the lowest possible income and denies them the initiative to earn more. The motion was aimed at assisting the small man, the gardener, the vendor and domestic, not real estate tycoons.
In responding the Minister of Labour and Co-operatives Mr. Gowkarran Sharma pointed out that old age pensions have been increased six times since 1985 from $55 to $161 a month. He further said that the means test did not create hardships and was an important determinant in deciding who was eligible for old age pensions.
He said that government alone should not have to bear the responsibility for old age pensioners and charitable organizations and relatives should help. No developing country, said Mr. Sharma, can afford to provide for all its citizens in the eligible age range.
In reply, Mrs. Jagan said she was “appalled and almost in a state of shock at the sorriest excuse a government could give.” She described the government as being run by “bureaucrats without hearts.”
“Who in this country,” she asked “can live on $211 a month?”
The motion was put to the vote and defeated.
National Security Act to go
Several PPP motions were proposed Wednesday in the National Assembly with mixed results. One, calling for the repeal of the National Security Act, was proposed by Clinton Collymore who said that the continued annual renewal of this Act meant that the country was effectively in a perpetual state of emergency. He said the Act was aimed at suppressing opposition parties, democratic forces and trade unions.
The Act gives the police power, inter alia, to search for arms and ammunition without a warrant. It has been maintained in force for many years and opposition critics say it was widely abused previously in that searches were carried out without warrant where arms and ammunition were not involved.
In opposing, Minister of Home Affairs Stella Odie-Ali remarked that there had been 25 years of peace under the PNC government and the government had never had to declare a state of emergency. She said the Act was necessary when it was passed in 1966 because of conditions created by the PPP. She proposed that the motion be approved and saw it as a compliment to the PNC for maintaining peace. The motion was approved.
Theatre Guild 1988 – 1989 awardees
THE Theatre Guild Awards for performances in 1988-1989 were presented last Saturday night in what might have been the Playhouse’s most impressive Awards Ceremony.
Two productions dominated the prizes with ‘Dear Charles’, directed by Kwesi Ojinga, slightly upstaging the Best Play, ‘The Blind Goddess,’ directed by Ronald Hollingsworth, by carrying off most of them.
Not since 1981, has one play swept the slate. ‘Boesman and Lena’ achieved it then, with the major awards going to Director John Rollins, actor Anthony Stewart, actress Margaret Kellman, supporting actor Eze Luke along with the Best Play title.
Ms. Keliman and Jasper Adams were the Masters of Ceremony. The panel of judges comprised A1 Creighton (Chairman), Pat Liverpool, Makepeace Richmond and the late Frank Pilgrin (in whose memory the proceedings were held).
- BEST ACTOR John Algernon (Dear Charles)
- BEST ACTRESS Collette Jones (The Blind Goddess)
- BEST DIRECTOR Ronald Hollingsworth for The Blind Goddess’
- BEST SET Kwesi Ojinga for Dear Charles
- BEST PRODUCTION The Blind Goddess
- BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Richard Naraine (Dear Charles)
- BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Nicola Smith (The Blind Goddess)
- BEST ACTRESS RUNNER-UP Desiree Edghill (Dear Charles)
- BEST ACTOR RUNNER-UP Gordon McLean (Craigwell) (Dear Charles)
- BEST NEW COMER John Phillips (The Rope and the Cross)
- Best SUPPORTING ACTOR RUNNER-UP Linden Branche (The Blind Goddess)
- BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS RUNNER-UP Ulita Anthony (Dear Charles)
- BEST NON-GUILD PRODUCTION Murder at Eight O’clock (Michael Duff)
