– 76-year-old gets $16,000 water bill

The $17,000 which the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration has awarded to pensioners on a monthly basis can neither cater for their needs nor ensure the survival of these aged individuals.

From left Renuka Anandjit GRPA programme director, Rev Patricia Sheerattan-Bisnauth GRPA executive director, Public Health Minister Dr George Norton and Research Consultant Sherlina Nageer.

Coupled with the nixing of Government subsidies to the electricity, water and telephone utilities for pensioners, the elderly who live alone and depend on their pension payments to provide for their basic needs are faced with even more hardships.

This is the case for 76-year-old Ramrattie, a pensioner living in De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara (WCD), who had the shock of her life when she was recently slapped with a staggering $16,000 water bill.

The elderly woman, who lives by herself, could not afford to make the payment in time and as such, the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) cut off the water supply to her house.

Ramrattie told Guyana Times that she was forced to pay a $6000 reconnection fee in addition to signing a contract with the water company. This contract, she said, is to ensure that all outstanding payments to the water company are paid.

She lamented that the current Old Age Pension was not sufficient to meet her needs. “If at this age me only depend pun pension and if me got to pay water company, me an know how me gan make out…the pension can’t pay de money,” the 76-year-old stressed.

Several attempts were made to contact the Social Protection Ministry for a comment on the situation as well as the plight which other pensioners were facing.

A man who identified himself as “Mr Banwarie” in the office of the Director of Social Services finally took the call, but declined to offer any comment when probing questions were asked.

Back in October of 2015, this newspaper reported on the dire state in which some pensioners had found themselves after the removal of the much-needed subsidies. At that time, a 70-year-old pensioner, Tessa McKenzie had expressed a myriad of frustrations over the eliminations.

“I never had to worry about the light bills and the water bills. When the month come, it was just a $2000 for the light bill and like a $4000 for the water bill. Cause it’s me alone and how much one old lady gonna use up? So the pension I used to get was good ‘cause at least I had leftover to buy my lil’ groceries. Now, it’s like all my pension going behind the bills,” stated McKenzie in October of last year.

In the 2015 Budget, the Old Age Pension was increased to $17,000 per month. However, the subsidies to utilities were eliminated. While some would have welcomed the increase, many others complained of not being able to pay bills which can make basic survival difficult.

The Social Protection Ministry had trumpeted that the Old Age Pension would be a monthly payment which is available to Guyanese aged 65 or older; however, before anyone can receive this benefit, he/she must meet the eligibility requirements.