Browne: $21m for Higher Pensions

By Aretha Welch, Trinidad Express

May 5, 2010

Trinidad and Tobago

An increase in old age pensions and other retirement benefits will cost the State an additional $21 million a year. This was confirmed yesterday by Social Development Minister Dr Amery Browne. 

He said the possibility of pension cheque theft forced the Government to stay quiet about increases in national pensions until last Sunday. 

Browne told the Express yesterday: ’Some people are questioning why we took that approach to announce the increase as we did, with the Prime Minister doing it on Sunday, announcing (the increase) after the cheques were delivered. But the security problems and the challenge of delivering cheques safely made us take that approach.’ 

Prime Minister Patrick Manning announced at a PNM rally at Woodford Square, Port of Spain, that citizens receiving pensions got more money in their monthly cheques at the end of April. 

Browne said the Government did not want to create a buzz about the increase. Currently an estimated 70,000 people receive old age pensions. 

READY: Social Development Minister Dr Amery Browne during his presentation as the candidate for Diego Martin Central at the PNM rally on Sunday at Woodford Square, Port of Spain. -Photo: MICHEAL BRUCE

The national grant for senior citizens who do not have any other source of income has now increased from $1,950 to $2,500. This is 28.2 per cent increase. 

Browne said that citizens who receive the NIS return benefits of $2,000 each month will now receive an additional cheque of $1,550, instead of the previous $800. He said the increases were not a last-minute decision, but were being developed over several months

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