Pensioners to receive allowances with ease through electronic system
Georgetown, GINA, Friday, November 11, 2016
Pensioners will now be able to access their allowances with ease through the Social Protection Ministry’s automated system.
Assistant Chief Probation and Social Services Officer, Ricardo Banwarie told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that through the automated system, checks and balances will be carried out to ensure the pensioners are receiving their pensions faster.
Assistant Chief Probation and Social Services Officer, Ricardo Banwarie
Banwarie explained that it is a system where pensioners will sign on the coupon booklet and access their cash. The pensioners’ information will be entered into the data base for the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) to keep record of pensioners in the system. “Added to that, we will be having the agents, for persons who are shut-ins, persons who are not capable of going to the Post Office to uplift their pensions. We will be able to have the names of the persons who are going to be authorised to uplift the pension on behalf of the pensioner in our data base,” Banwarie explained.
This new system will not take away the coupon booklet system, but will run parallel with it. Banwarie explained that, the system will be more transparent. He added that if a pensioner has to relocated, he or she must inform the Post Office. “They would not be able to uplift the coupon booklet where they relocate to if they don’t inform us, so it is important that when they move, they let us know so we can document it.”
The Assistant Chief Probation and Social Services Officer noted that the schedule for the new system will be in the print media this weekend. Pensioners can also check with the distribution centres in their region for more information. Banwarie pointed out that there are offices in all 10 administrative regions and there are officers to serve them, especially in the hinterland communities.
“Those areas are serviced by probation social officers and we can access information through the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) because officers will be liaising with the Toshaos and the councillors and other volunteers in these communities to get the message out,” Banwarie explained.
The Ministry will distribute the updated pension booklet on Monday. Banwarie pointed out that pensioners must uplift their nine digit Identification cards or they would not be allowed to uplift their pensions.
By: Ranetta La Fleur