| 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It is jeopardized (and likely withdrawn) if the recipient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?
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