No pension for 5 months

ANGELA Carasquero, 71, of Cantaro Village, Upper Santa Cruz is asking the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services' Social Welfare Division to restore payment of her monthly pension grant.

The pensioner, who visited Newsday's head office on Chacon Street in Port of Spain yesterday, said it has been five long and lean months since she last got her pension.

“The last time I received my cheque was on February 1, and when I did not get my payments in March, I went to the ministry to find out what was going on. Every time I go to find out what is the keepback, they tell me they are working on the problem. It's five months now they have been working on the problem," she complained.

On May 17, Carasquero said, the ministry sent her a letter that payments for March, April and May were inadvertently deposited into an incorrect account and they are making all attempts to rectify the situation. "I cannot take that explanation to the grocery store or to pay my bills, I need the cheques to take to the bank,” she said.

Carasquero said she has survived these months on the grace and goodwill of her children to buy food and basic household items. “It is very distressing to me, because I cannot buy food for myself or pay my bills on time. It is not nice to have to bother your children when they have their own lives to see about," Carasquero said as she wiped away tears of frustration.

"I am in need of medication which I have to buy because the Port of Spain hospital does not have it on CDAP prescription. I am at a point now where I do not know where to turn again for help. And it is extremely stressful to have to deal with since February.”

Carasquero said she planned to spend some of her pension money to repair a leak in her roof in the earlier part of the year at the height of the dry season. Now the rainy season is here, she said, and the leak has not been fixed on account of no money. "Who will help me now when rainwater leaks on me?"

Contacted yesterday, Minister Cherrie-Ann Crichlow-Cockburn confirmed the situation was being looked into and said Carasquero will be paid all her outstanding cheques. Crichlow-Cockburn encouraged all pensioners to report any problems they are having with their grants to the ministry.