Dear Editor,

This is an open letter to Minister of Labour and Social Security Shahine Robinson:

Minister Robinson, the pensioners of this country are crying out for help.

There have been several increases in the minimum wage over the past years but nothing has been done to ease the plight of pensioners who depend solely on their fortnightly allotments.

Some receive barely $2,000 fortnightly, with many having to pay bus fare to collect same.

Food staples have increased several times over this period, making the basic basket of items even harder to buy.

Indeed, many pensioners are avid readers and the price of the daily newspapers have recently increased. Faced with the choice of buying food for survival and the luxury of improving brain power, it becomes a no-brainer.

Given the cost of living today it is almost inhumane to ask our aged citizens, who served diligently in their younger years, to get by on $2,000 per fortnight.

It is said a society is judged by how it treats its elderly.

Is it asking too much for the minimum doled to our pensioners be increased to $4,000 fortnightly?

Dare to hope.

Da Mac

damac@yahoo.com