PHILIPSBURG--Advocates are calling for a day of true reflection, consideration, more awareness and action for the plights of senior citizens on St. Maarten, with a focus on inequality, on the 25th United Nations (UN) International Day of Older Persons, recognised globally on October 1.
Anti-Poverty Platform members Claire Elshot-Aventurin, Raymond Jessurun and Alberto Bute, also known for their leadership positions in a variety of specialised advocacy groups, spoke about the various challenges affecting seniors locally during a press conference on Wednesday.
Sustainability is one of the most important factors, Elshot stressed, adding that there is still a big gap between the world of work and older persons. Young people should make sure that different aspects of wellbeing are taken care of so that they do not miss the boat and have to go through the same struggles later on.
“We have to carry the fight and make improvements to sustainability,” she said. “On an international level there is solidarity and a call for coming up with solutions. This is just as important for you [the public, young in particular – Ed.], right here on our national shores.”
Jessurun said that while there had been achievements, there was also a lack of equality, especially when the picture of the whole Kingdom was taken into consideration.
He cited the UN Secretary-General in 2011 as identifying four main concerns surrounding the rights of older persons: poverty, discrimination, violence and abuse, and a lack of specific measures and services catering to them.
From the point of view of the St. Maarten Seniors and Pensioners Association, in existence for five years and accounting for some seven per cent of the local senior population, achievements have included leading awareness and advocacy to be recognised both locally and internationally, which has gained international solidarity for the local situation from several organisations, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Other achievements have been a small raise in old age pensions and more meetings with Social and Health Insurance SZV on service improvement.
However, on the negative side, both Parliament and Government have discussed some of the issues surrounding senior citizens’ standard of living, but have failed to take meaningful action, and St. Maarten is tolerating inequality – and, as an extension, abuse – within the Kingdom, he said.
He said that while the Netherlands continued to be a top-ranking country when it came to wealth and wellbeing, the same could not be said for St. Maarten. King Willem-Alexander, in his recent speech to the UN, ignored wellbeing in this part of the world, he added.
He cited disproportionately high insurance premiums, medication being charged at European tariffs while salaries do not match, and the retirement package being lowered after 10-10-10 as some examples of struggles faced locally, as opposed to the Netherlands. He added that even locally, foreign-born seniors who had helped to build the country also faced discrimination and these made up some 80 per cent of the senior population.
Bute also touched on poverty, in particular systemic poverty, also citing St. Eustatius’ recent plea to the UN on the same topic, and asserted that St. Maarten’s right to development was being obstructed within the Kingdom.
He said the island kept looking within the means of its own budget, but in reality needed outside help in terms of finance and professional help.
President of the St. Maarten United Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) Federation SUNFed, Bute said local NGOs would like to do more, but did not have access to international funding agencies such as the Inter-American Development Bank, because the Dutch had blocked access, partly because it classified St. Maarten as a developed country. At the same time, he expressed disappointment in the Dutch’s assistance to the country.
