Speaking out on behalf of pensioners
Dear Editor,
How can we be just looking forward to the fun filled coming days of the closing of 2022 and the opening of 2023 Celebrations, when our Seniors still continue to struggle and suffer every end of the month when having to receive their SENIORS MONTHLY PENSIONS?
The Seniors are all retired, and have already worked all their lives for the little Pension that they are now receiving, and is due to them.
“Where and what is really the problem”?
a) is it at the desk of the Council of Ministers, meaning the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Social Affairs/ Welfare, which includes this Senior Citizens matter of their Monthly Pension?
b) should the paperwork process not be done earlier, probably from the 21st of every month, in order that the Funds Transfer can be carried out earlier?
c) what is the role of SZV in making sure that this is properly and efficiently expedited?
d) there seems to be an efficiency delay with all other Banks other than the WIB Bank, since the WIB is where the Funds/ Revenues of Government may be originally deposited, and then transferred to the other Commercial Banks.
So how can we solve these delays between Banks in order for every Senior Citizen to receive their Pension on the same day, avoiding having to encounter weekend delays as well on a friday?
e) this transfer of Funds from WIB to the other Banks causes a few days delay for these Senior Recipients to receive their Pension.
That is unfair, unacceptable, and demonstrates constant inequality service treatment between Banks.
But can their be a System set up that these other Banks can be credited a month before so as to avoid this from ever reoccurring anymore?
Probably having the Ministers presenting Budgetary Amendments to Parliament for Approval so that the Banks are always Two Advanced Monthly Pension Payments ahead.
f) In addition, is there a Law or Legislation that will resolve this very unfair and abusive matter for our Seniors once and for all as proposed above?
THIS PROBLEM IS EASILY RESOLVED, ONCE WHOMEVER BEING RESPONSIBLE,
WHETHER THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS, SZV, OR THE LOCAL COMMERCIAL BANKS, CAN ESTABLISH AN EARLIER MONTHLY DATE BY LAW OR LEGISLATION FOR BANKING FUNDS TRANSFER TO OUR LOCAL COMMERCIAL BANKS.
IN THIS MANNER WE WILL IMMEDIATELY RESOLVE THIS DELAY SAGA FOR OUR SENIORS AND ALL OTHER GROUPS FALLING INTO THIS CATEGORY.
All Parties being called upon to immediately resolve this matter in my opinion are the following:
1. Government/ Council of Ministers, more specifically the Minister of General Affairs, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of VSA.
2. The Parliament of Sint Maarten, by way of the Chairperson/ President of Parliament.
3. SZV by way of their Chairman and Management Team.
4. Sint Maarten Commercial Banking Association, which would handle the Pension Funds Transfer by way of the Windward Islands Bank to all other Local Commercial Banks.
5. Combined Labour Unions, which includes all individual Labour Unions and their Representatives.
6. Representatives of the Seniors, as well as all other Representatives for the remaining Categories falling into this Monthly Pension Dilemma.
“Can we not resolve this situation once and for all on behalf of our Seniors without further delay”?
Let us not begin the end of the first month of 2023 still not having this matter resolved. Resolving this can be a great New Years Resolution to begin this Year 2023 on behalf of specifically our Seniors.
For Third Party Outsiders like myself and the People of Sint Maarten, this is very embarrassing.
And I do feel the cries of these Seniors, because many of them are my family, my close friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and just innocent Senior Citizens of Sint Maarten who do not deserve to be treated in such an unfair and abusive manner after having served and laboured for this Country all of their lives.
I have presented much Options, Proposals and Ideas in this Correspondence, and so IAM humbly resting my case-
Achken Roberto Richardson.
