PNCR frowns on ‘stingy’ old-age pension/ public assistance payout

A notice which was released by the Ministry of Human Services on Tuesday

The Peoples National Congress Reform has come out swinging at the government for not making the budgetary announced increase in old-age pension and public assistance effective from January.

According to a statement from the PNCR which was released on Wednesday morning, the move not making the increase effective from January 2022 has made the party utter disgust. The party regarded the increase as ‘paltry’.

“These already stingy payments have thus been further devalued by several thousand dollars”

In its Wednesday morning statement, the PNCR said it views the decision as outrageous and mean-spirited given the country’s oil wealth which now allows the government to better provide for low-income persons and families.

“The PNCR joins with those affected and other Guyanese to demand that these payments be made retroactive to January 2022” The PNCR statement noted.

According to the PNCR, they are again making a call for the old-age pension to be set at a minimum of $35,000 a month in 2022 and for the Public Assistance to be expanded in terms of its coverage, size, duration of support, and ease of access.