Every month, a pensioner within Arima Old Road, Arouca, "loses" their pension cheque. I've now seen two such cases with my grandmother. When the paperwork is followed to the ministry (which requires a waiting period of two months), the cheques are listed as encashed. This information, after due process, is then forwarded to the Fraud Squad for investigation.
Some of the elderly in our neighbourhood have not received their cheques for months. The situation gets worse around Christmas and Carnival when several pensioners are left without their grants.
It is heartbreaking when our respected seniors cannot purchase food, medication or personal items because of these heinous crimes. I can only pray that the Government hastens its proposal to alleviate this problem and may God deal with those wrongdoers.
Shawn Bedecee
Arouca