Dear Editor,
Further to my letter of November 10, 2024, in which I highlighted the deplorable conditions under which the Old Age Pension books are distributed, I posit that it appears that there has been a reduction in the number of distribution centres while increasing the number of areas that are assigned to each centre, resulting in the chaotic situation to which pensioners are now subjected. Pensioners from a varied number of areas and quite a distance apart are crowded into the same place.
Surely it can be ascertained approximately how many pensioners reside in a given area.
It would be prudent to combine the areas according to the number of pensioners and their proximity to the centres that are chosen so that there is no overcrowding and pensioners do not have to travel a long distance.
With the utilisation of adequate numbers of centres and personnel, there should be no need for persons to be crowded together and have the inconvenience of waiting for hours.
After all, this is a once-yearly exercise, so there should always be enough time to plan and implement the job well.
Sincerely,
Joan Collins