This year, we are blessed with 366 days to play with as 2016 is a leap year. We have to set the movement for what we intend to achieve this year while we look back at both the achievements as well as the failures of 2015.
Poverty
This New Year, we will continue to focus on the poverty that some of our seniors are facing. We are asking our government to do whatever it can in order to assist our seniors as well as the less fortunate in our country. Assistance is needed as much as possible in order to reduce the level of poverty for those not able to meet the basic needs of food, utilities and shelter. This can be easily overcome if action is taken by the appropriate people. While poverty persists, there is no true freedom in Country St. Maarten.
Pension
Former Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams heard the cries of seniors and took the opportunity to raise the pension to NAf. 1,000 at the time; and we want to thank her for that. However, with the present state of the economy, that is still not substantial to meet the needs of the seniors in order for them to enjoy a comfortable life. It will be a blessing for the seniors if the pension can be raised to that of the minimum wage.
GEBE Utilities Relief
Also, we cannot forget former Minister Maurice Lake, who heard the cries of the seniors for relief with their utility bills and held a meeting with GEBE, St. Maarten Seniors & Pensioner Association and Home Away From Home. This resulted in a six months program where some seniors were able to benefit and thereafter, the program was extended to all the seniors on St. Maarten, once they met the requirements for this relief. We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to GEBE and Minister Lake for reaching out to the seniors with this program. We are only hoping that it will be a permanent benefit for all seniors.
Transportation
Year after year, we are pleading with government to assist with transportation for the seniors to come to the centre as well as to move around when they need to go pay their bills, shop, visit the doctor/SZV, etc. It will also be a nice gesture if the businesses on the island can assist the seniors in this aspect, with a little discount on food, etc.
Healthcare
Our healthcare leaves a lot to be desired. We need to start treating the seniors with more urgency, especially when they are in need of emergency medical care. More specialist doctors need to be located in St. Maarten to prevent the long drawn out process that the seniors are faced with when they have to travel aboard. Sadly, some seniors do not even survive while awaiting the appointment to travel to Curaçao, Colombia and Santo Domingo. The SZV process is too long; by the time it’s approved, the seniors return home in a box. The doctors should do the referrals and send them to SZV for approval; this will be much faster. Why overload SZV when they have so many doctors sending referrals every day?
Closing remarks
The seniors are pillars of this island and they deserve to be treated with love and appreciation. Let us use this year to be the year of changes in favour of all our seniors. We are appealing to the government and of Country St. Maarten to take care of the seniors as one day you will be there.
From Patricia Flanders (President)
