| A Partnership For National Unity executive member Ms. Volda Lawrence says that her party will not support this year’s National Budget which merely gives pensioners a $13 per day increase while former President Bharrat Jagdeo gets $100,000 per day.Her statement was just one of her many points raised yesterday as the budget debate continued.Ms. Lawrence said this budget can be likened to an inflated balloon for the 18 percent of Guyanese who fall within the extreme poverty bracket and the 36 per cent who fall within the moderate poverty bracket.“The Honorable Minister of Finance said, “Indeed, in 2011, the domestic economy achieved real growth in gross domestic product (GDP) of 5.4% within which non-sugar (GDP) grew even more rapidly by 5.6%. Significantly, this represented the sixth consecutive year of positive growth in Guyana.”Lawrence said that the Minister did not indicate how this growth would impact on the realization of the seven-pillared strategy. She stated that one would have expected the government to address in a comprehensive manner the seven-pillars set out for the Economic and Social transformation of Guyana to at least remove the very real perception amongst Guyanese that the Government would have penalized those who did not vote for it or those who just did not vote.The APNU Parliamentarian further pointed out that family members, individuals,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, and public institutions must meet the challenge for survival of the elderly each day.“The long-term care that is necessary for these individuals more than ever in Guyana, is regarded as a responsibility of the family, even as life expectancy continues to rise and greater demands are made”. Having spoken of the six consecutive years of growth, Ms. Lawrence said that Minister in addressing our most vulnerable groups, made three profound statements for which he deserves three awards. “ $600 per month or rather $20 per day increase for the elderly; $400 per month or rather $13 per day increase for the vulnerable; $10,000 on the tax threshold for persons working for $50,000 a month and below”.She added that the Minister has proceeded without paying any heed to the shifts in age distribution in Guyana, given that the population aged 65 and over, has exceeded 10% of the national population. According to a 2009 World Bank report, persons 60 – 65 years or older have been steadily increasing during the past decade. She further questioned whether the Minister is aware of this fact and when does he plan to address the issue.“Not many elderly persons in Guyana fall into the category of those who use their wealth and financial capability to head households”. The majority of those who are found in this category, Ms. Lawrence said, would be spending their remaining days somewhere in North America.This, she added,Cheap Soccer Jerseys For Sale, leaves a large percentage of our elderly dependent on family members for support. “Those who depend on pensions to survive must face the high cost for food, medical attention and transportation, amongst others, and most often live below minimum standards”.The budget, she added, offers no hope for them to be relieved from their improvised condition.She further pointed out that the figures for those who apply for Old Age Pension tells a sad story. “There has been a steady increase of some 2,500 plus every year from 2006 to the first half of 2008… A substantial increase of 2,900 from the last half of 2008; in 2009 -3,009, in 2010 – 3,500 and for the first quarter of 2011 some 800 new applications were made”.Given all this and more,Cheap Jerseys, Lawrence said APNU proposes that the Budget be amended to offer a minimum of $10,000.00 per month to our Old Age Pensioners. That would cost $420M. “Today we are spending $315M and as of May it will be increased to $340M.“All that has to be added is $25M which works out to a minuscule percentage of the one Trillion dollars you allocated to Guysuco and to Guyana Power and Light”.Ms. Lawrence said that the Minister spoke of his Government’s commitment to invest in the Social Sector, but as the old adage states,Cheap Jerseys From China, ‘the taste of the pudding is in the eating.“The Minister should tell this nation, given all that he said,Jerseys NFL China, why the allocation for the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security was reduced by $214.M,Discount NFL Jerseys, and more particularly, why the allocation to Social Services –Other Charges decreased by 210.4M$ as against the allocation for 2011?Is this the strategy to reduce or lessen the burden on those in the poverty bracket?”She further questioned whether the Government finds no discomfort in doling out $3M to one person as pension and benefits every month or $100,000.00 per day? |
