Passions High Over Pensions

The government has again ruled out adjusting pensions for

Namibia

's elderly, at least for now.

Breaking her silence on the issue during debate in the National Assembly, Health and Social Services Minister, Dr Libertina Amathila said on Wednesday that the current N$250 paid to the elderly was all Government could afford.

"I wish the Swapo Government owned a gold mine, certainly the senior citizens would be getting sufficient allowance [then] ... as for now, what the Ministry is giving is what Government can afford," she said.

The motion, moved by DTA President Katuutire Kaura two weeks ago, calls on Government to increase pensions to N$550.

Amathila described Kaura's call as "dubious" and said such an increase will push up State spending on pensions to over N$800 million a year.

She revealed that her Ministry spends slightly over N$360 million a year on the about 120 000 pensioners on its payroll.

According to the Minister, another 5 417 pensioners are on the waiting list and an additional N$16 million is required to offset the backlog.

These figures, the Minister said, are expected to rise.

Another 4 200 new applications, requiring an additional N$12 million, are anticipated between now and March.

Amathila argued that Government's social pension should not be regarded as the only means of income for senior citizens.

Rather "their children and grandchildren" should take the responsibility of providing for them.

The Health Minister's assertion immediately sparked a heated argument.

Opposition MPs accused Government of running away from its constitutional obligation of caring for the elderly.

Swapo parliamentarians, in turn, contended that people want to dump their "mothers and fathers" on Government.

"The children and grandchildren of these elderly people pay the taxes from which Government gets money ... now the same children and grandchildren are required to provide a social pension," charged the CoD's Nora Schimming-Chase.

"[If] farmers were forced to pay an acceptable minimum living wage to their workers and they are doing it, why can't Government, which is the sole user of our taxes, pay an acceptable pension to the elderly?" Schimming-Chase's argument seemed to further incense some members of the ruling party, who repeatedly interjected with questions and comments.

At one point Higher Education Minister Nahas Angula suggested that MPs should take a drug test before they come to the House, just like in sports.

Retorted Schimming-Chase: "When you fail in any debate then you resort to senseless arguments to try and win the debate".

Deputy Minister of Women Affairs and Child Welfare, Marlene Mungunda, took serious exception to criticism of plans to spend N$500 million on the new State House instead of increasing pensions.

Mungunda claimed that elderly people in the South are "very happy" with the N$250 they receive from Government.

"People there (South) are very happy; they even call it a grant. If you are not happy with the little you are getting you will never be happy with anything".

The Deputy Minister, whose temper rose when opposition members teasingly called her a pastor, suggested that the money senior citizens receive is a generous gesture from Government which has to be appreciated.

Justice Minister Albert Kawana joined the chorus of those who believe that N$250 for senior citizens is not enough, but argued that the issue is being politicised by the opposition to galvanise support.

"They (opposition) have lost the support of the youth. They will not get support from the old people ... this is a lost political campaign," Kawana stated.