65 a good age for retirement

THE EDITOR: It is a good idea to increase the retirement age to 65. About five years ago, I wrote a letter asking why the retirement age could not be raised to 65. Other countries in the world are doing it, so what is the problem if it is done in our country?

I heard a lot of negative contributions coming from citizens on television. I even heard someone say that 65 years was real old. What is wrong with our people? Even the OWTU is sending threats saying that hell will break loose if the retirement age were to be increased. I think that attitude is foolish. People are living longer now and there is nothing wrong retiring at 65. Some people are being called back to their jobs after retiring at 60. One person I know of said she was called back five times on her job to continue working after she had retired – she left at 68 – another one left at 70. I do not know what the big hullabaloo is about.

Warren Buffet one of the richest men in America is over 85 years and is still working. Betty White is 92 years and still making movies, that is working. In Ukraine the retirement age will be increased – 60 for women and 62 for men for civil servants by 2021. It used to be 48 for men and 38 for women. In 2028 it will be 66 to 67 and by 2046 it will increase to 69.

In the UK the age of retirement is 63 for women and 65 for men but from 2019 the retirement age will be increased for both men and women to 66 by 2020 and then increased again to 67 between 2026 and 2028.

In the Netherlands the retirement age is 68. In Australia the retirement age is 65 and by 2023 it will be 67. America does not have a set full retirement age, you can retire at 59 1/2, 65, 66, 67 and 70 and at 70 you get your social security.

We have to realise that times are changing and we are living in a new era and heading for the 21st century. Things can’t remain the same way. We need to get on board with the rest of the world, this mediocre thinking is killing us. Do we want to have a first-world country with a third-world mentality? Well it won’t work. Get with the times people. Working at the age of 65 is not a bad thing it is good for us in TT.

Modicia Martin via e-mail