The ministry of Social security sent a shock wave through a group of old-age pensioners last week when it cancelled their pension and end of year bonus for December. This decision came in the wake of a new policy of means testing for the old-age pension which will be as from this month payable only to people aged 60 and above who do not earn a monthly revenue above Rs 21 000.

The ministry sent 120 000 forms to all old-age pensioners and those who did not fill in and return these forms are considered as having revenue above Rs 21 000. Around 4 500 forms were returned undelivered to the ministry, some were not properly filled in and many more old people did not think it important to fill in the forms at all.

When the ministry suddenly shut the tap for this monthly payment, thousands of penniless old people, some having borrowed money for their bus fare, crowded into the regional and head offices of the ministry to seek redress.

Clerks of the ministry had been asked to help those pensioners to fill in their forms properly.

This action is considered to have come a little too late, for thousands of old people are convinced that they have been humiliated and punished unjustly. To add insult to injury, some members of the technical team of the ministry alleged that some forms were misled, whilst typists entered relevant data without cross checking. These allegations have not been denied.

There are proofs that the ministry has its share of responsibility in the whole mess. There is the case of a member of the press who had his father’s form filled in by a member of the ministry of Social security staff and who delivered the form. Yet, his father has been deprived of his pension and end of year bonus for December.

Since old people started to crowd into the regional social security offices and the head office in Port-Louis, politicians have joined the band wagon. The Mouvement Republicain staged a protest and a sit-in the Port-Louis office last week.

Minister Sam Lauthan has since assured that every correction will be made and pension and bonus paid before the end of the year to every old-age pensioner not earning more than Rs 21 000. Only time will tell if he will succeed. But whatever the outcome of his fast track actions, the damage caused by this ill planned operation may have cost government a very high price in popularity.

Government hopes to save Rs 5 milion yearly with this policy of means-testing for old-age pensions, the payment of which has been universal since 1976.

The whole operation started with a mess and minister Lautan had to sign 120 000 letters of excuse addressed to all old-age pensioners some months back. His move came when trade unionists started to point out that the forms addressed to old-age pensioners contain a paragraph threatening them with fines and imprisonment if ever they fill in the forms with false or incorrect details.

Means testing for old-age pensions was announced in the June budget speech of Pravind Jugnauth, deputy Prime minister and minister of Finance. This measure was to be implemented on the 1st November, but had to be postponed for December by the ministry of Social security.

Means-testing will also be applied to widows and orphans pensions as from next year.

<I>Minister Sam Lauthan has since assured that every correction will be made and pension and bonus paid before the end of the year to every old-agepensioner not earning more than Rs 21 000.</I>