Stabroek News on Friday visited the Sophia Community Centre ground where the distribution of pension books and public assistance was taking place and it was a scene of disorganization.
Stabroek News approached several persons who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“They got persons who come early and get number like 504. Look, me mother there, she foot hurting [and] she is 73 and been here since this morning and you know where they deh right now? At 200 and something!”
Another person chimed in, “They got a grey van heavily tinted; a boy name Wylee driving it coming in here bringing in people by the load and they getting through faster and leaving and these old people have to punish and wait,”
The security officer on duty at the distribution table could be heard telling those in attendance that they were stopping at number 310 and that the rest of persons will have to report to the masjid tomorrow to be able to uplift their booklets and public assistance.
Another resident of the area reacted angrily to this announcement, “Tell me to God, you think it is fair to leff yuh house from since morning [to] sit down here whole day? That is nonsense!”
And an elderly woman told Stabroek News that she ended up missing her medication because of the waiting process.
Her daughter added, “My mother missed her medication. These is big people; they are not able with certain things. This throws my mother off by a lot. People leff and went home [and] came back after their number had already called and they still get through. I am here with my mother all day and still have not gotten anywhere.”
The defeated look on persons faces spoke volumes as an upset senior citizen told Stabroek News “They are giving to person who are not even from this area [and] that is not how it is supposed to work.”
Sheila Demmy said “They are telling me that I cannot uplift my mother’s thing because she has to be here to sign. My mom is sickly”.
Meanwhile, visiting the offices of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security for information didn’t turn out as well as Noreen Mendonca, a mother of five, had expected.
She told Stabroek News that at the Ministry, she felt insulted by the employees responsible for the cash grants. “You know them people embarrassing down there. The woman told me ‘Don’t let I see back your face next six months.’ How could you tell somebody that? Then the others that sitting right there tell me how I should summons the man and go look for him. I feel shame. Two of my children does get it.”
Further, two weeks ago, persons from several areas across Region Four spoke of experiencing difficulties as they were denied entry at locations listed for the distribution of pension books and disability grants.
Efforts made to contact Minister of Human Services and Social Security; Vindhya Persaud, to shed some light on the matter proved futile.
