UPDATE ON PENSION BOOKS – Ministry of Human Services and Social Security

The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security wishes to advise the pensioners that following the discovery of unauthorised/fake Old Age Pension books and the violation of the integrity of the pension delivery system, the Minister of Human Services requested an immediate investigation by the Guyana Police Force into the issue. Because of this investigation, the regular early distribution of Old Age Pension books has been delayed.

The Ministry of Human Services wishes to assure pensioners that the 2025 books are currently being printed with new security features to prevent tampering and falsification. The 2025 Old Age Pension Books will be available for distribution from December 2024. The Ministry is working assiduously to tie in the distribution of these books with the encashment of the December 2025 vouchers in many areas. A detailed distribution schedule of the dates and times for distribution will be posted in all media.

3000 more 2024 Old Age Pension  books, with new security features  have also been printed to cater for pensioners who have not yet received their books and will be available from the 25th of November onwards. There has been an increase in the number of pensioners over the last 3 years to over 70,000. We also encourage persons to use the Banking system, which does not require any books. Pension is deposited in the first five(5) days of every month into bank accounts.

The Ministry sincerely regrets any inconvenience to pensioners for the delays but it is critical to improve the integrity and accountability of the Pension delivery system in the best interest of the pensioners.

The Ministry is still awaiting the findings of the investigation launched by the Guyana Police Force into the fake pension books.