BARBADOS: Seniors Severely Affected By Inflation

BRIDGETOWN, St. Micheal (The Barbados Nation), July 23, 2007: THE Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP)has found a mechanism to deal with the high cost of living affecting pensioners. The organisation has prepared a manifesto that it intends to present to Government formally, outlining a number of issues which are impacting on its members and the elderly in general. BARP wants the immediate addition of a cost-of-living component to the amount paid to all persons receiving a Government pension of less than $625 per month or $7,500 per annum – gross. The rationale behind this proposal, which is No. 2 in the manifesto, is that for more than 50 per cent of the 8,000 pensioners this is their only source of income and when compared to the national poverty level, the situation is untenable. The manifesto is also proposing that all National Insurance pensions be exempt from income tax because the burden of tax is easier to carry during working years than after retirement. The matters were discussed at the annual general meeting of the organisation on Saturday when more than 400 members of the 15,000-strong organisation turned out. © 1997-2005. Nation Publishing Company Limited.