By Elvin Bailey

Part V of the Social Security Act No. 13 of 1987 allows for Social Security to award assistance to members of Society who, otherwise, would not qualify for any benefit.  Section 46 of the Regulations that accompany that Act spells out the details of such assistance for one category of such persons – those who are over 62 years old. Specifically, it states that they must not be in gainful employment, must be resident in the state (read Federation) and must be in need. By our internal policy, the burden of proof lies with the applicant, and thus it is subject to means testing.

The pension, once awarded, is payable for life OR until the applicant is no longer eligible for it. Thus it is subject to periodic review. The Regulations initially set the award at the rate of $7.00 per week, but gave authorization to periodically review its relevance to poverty alleviation. By decree, it is now set at $250.00 per month.

The Assistance Pension is one benefit of Social Security that is much maligned – some state that it is a drain on the system and should be stopped. Some state that the amount is insultingly small and it should be increased. Yet others see it as a right (not a privilege), and those persons who have made their ‘unheralded’ contribution to society should automatically qualify for the assistance. Those who apply for it and receive it welcome the relief.

Before we throw out the baby with the bathwater, however, let us examine the functionality of the award. I have found annual data which states that since 1994, and measuring it at year end, the greatest number of such pensioners up to 2008 has been the 872 persons in 1996 and it fell to 511 in 2008. Looking at the said data for the years 2004 to 2008, we see that women are the major beneficiaries, reaching 72% (roughly 3 of every 4) of recipients in 2008, up from 60% in 2004.

This is understandable, given the fact that historically, our women folk were home makers or home domestics – either way they invisible to Inspectors and tax collectors. The increasing distribution in favour of women is also understandable given the fact that there are more elderly women than men due to the greater longevity that women enjoy.  Therefore, to eliminate Assistance Pensions altogether is to disproportionately discriminate against our womenfolk.

An Assistance Pension is easily jeopardized. It is jeopardized (and likely withdrawn) if the recipient becomes institutionalized – whether as a resident of a senior citizen’s home, hospitalized (at a subsidized facility) or as a person awaiting Her Majesty’s pleasure. It is jeopardized if the recipient travels overseas, especially for pleasure.

It is jeopardized, but not necessarily withdrawn, if the recipient is sufficiently able bodied to work and earn an income that is greater than 75% of what we offer. It is jeopardized if the recipient holds real property that is rented for greater than 75% of what we offer.
And it is jeopardized and withdrawn if the applicant employs fraudulent practices to qualify for the award.  However, a recipient can always apply for reinstatement, but the evaluation process will start all over again, and probably with prejudice!

It is our expectation that the Assistance Pension programme, with time, will continue to diminish in numbers as more and more persons would have become exposed to and participate in Social Security and become entitled to an earned pension (recall that the number has fallen to 511 as of the end of 2008). That is why we spare no effort in our publicity, in our education, in our enforcement and in our outreach. We want everyone to be fully covered for an earned Old Age Pension! Comply or be denied!

There are also persons who are not yet aged 62 who are in receipt of assistance from Social Security. These are persons who have been medically certified to be incapable of work by reason of insanity, infirmity, or deformity. This assistance is also at the rate of $250 per month and also subject to residency in the Federation and to need. Again, for reasons which I cannot hazard a guess, there are slightly more women than men who are recipients of this, the Invalidity Assistance Pension. The numbers of Invalidity Assistance Pensioners has been relatively steady to very slightly increasing and stands at 130 by mid-year 2009. This really is where the challenge for Society resides. 

A society is judged by the way it treats its indigent, its aged and its infirmed. How do we wish to be remembered?