Dear Editor,
The 2024 budget cycle is imminent, and citizens are anxious. The last four budgets presented by the Ali/Jagdeo government were more ‘infrastructure and private sector’ driven. Ordinary citizens were left struggling to cope with inadequate pensions, the rising cost of living, a declining health care system and the increasing cost of educating their school age kids. It is clear that the People’s Progressive Party and by extension, the Ali/Jagdeo government has no interest in improving the quality of life of all citizens. Those in government, are self-serving, and ensure that their friends, families, and favourites alone benefit from the national coffers, while the masses continue to suffer.
NIS pensioners and other pensioners cannot make ends meet in the winter years of their lives, despite their honest and dedicated service to the nation. Many of these pensioners would not be around for the next 3 years when the impact of the oil and gas wealth can be felt by all citizens.
NIS, established under the Burnham government 54 years ago, was badly mismanaged by the PPP/C. Pensioners suffered tremendously under the PPP/C, pre-May 15, 2015. (We all recall NIS contributions were used to construct the Berbice River Bridge, which is not owned by the people of Guyana). Today, it is no different. Editor, I would like to remind readers that in January 2015 the minimum NIS pension was $21,352; Under the APNU+AFC Coalition, minimum pension was as follows: January 2016 – $25,000; January 2017 – $27,500; January 2018 – $30,000; January 2019 – $32,100; January 2020 – $35,000. There has been no increase since the PPP/C was installed in 2020, despite the billions of dollars approved for annual budgets.
Of interest too, is the fact that the NIS pension is a mere $2,000 more than the minimum monthly Old Age pension of $33,000. Employees contributed monthly to the NIS pension scheme until they attained the age of 60, unlike the non-contributory Old Age Pension paid to persons over 65 yrs of age.
Editor, Budget 2024 is touted as being bigger and better. It is time that all pensioners get a bigger and better pension. Let the disbursements from the Natural Resource Fund, and the government treasury, be used for bigger and better pensions and salaries for Public Servants who have been treated with disdain since 2020.
Yours sincerely,
Annette Ferguson
Member of Parliament
