Surinam Senior Citizens Call for Better Pensions
Posted on: Friday, 16 May 2008, 06:00 CDT
Text of report by Caribbean Media Corporation news agency website
PARAMARIBO, Surinam, CMC - Several hundred retired government workers protested in Surinam's capital to demand higher pensions from the government in order to cope with the soaring cost of living.
The demonstration organized by the Union Representing Retired Government Workers (BBGO) coincided with a rally involving high school students who, for the second consecutive Wednesday, rallied in front of the office of the vice-president demanding an immediate resolution to the teachers' strike which is entering its fourth week.
The elderly demonstrators insisted that they deserve a pension higher than the approximately 140 US dollars which many of them receive monthly.
"I want to know what happened with all the monies I had contributed to the Pension Fund with blood, sweat and tears," said Leonard Lapar, 77.
"How can you live on this small amount of money since we all know that elderly persons need to eat good and have nutritious food in order to stay healthy and live a little bit longer?" asked another pensioner.
The protestors were especially critical of the government's recent move to significantly increase salaries for government ministers, members of parliament, the vice-president and president.
At a brief meting with Minister of Finance Humphrey Hildenberg and Domestic Affairs Minister Maurits Hassankhan, BBGO Chairman Clifton Greaves appealed for the introduction of a new pension system for retired government workers.
Hildenberg said that a commission was reviewing the existing scheme and would recalculate what pensioners should receive.
He said the process would take several weeks, but added that as early as next month the government was likely to present a possible solution to the problem.
Originally published by Caribbean Media Corporation news agency website, Bridgetown, in English 2100 15 May 08.
(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring Americas. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: BBC Monitoring Americas
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