Respect the elderly, says PM

With 10 percent of the population of St Vincent and the Grenadines accounting for elderly persons, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves sounded his voice for senior citizens to be treated with the utmost respect.

Dr Gonsalves chided persons for treating elders in a most undignified manner. “You have to love older persons, they are nation builders,” he said.{{more}}

The finance minister’s words were heard on Monday when over 200 hundred pensioners converged at the Cane Grove Golden Years Activity Center to celebrate Pensioners Appreciation Day, hosted by the National Insurance Services.

Minister Gonsalves said that in society when persons are old and can’t work, persons treat them in a most intolerable manner.

The Prime Minister said that they would be tightening supervision of home-helpers to the elderly.

On an annual basis the government shells out $8.1 million in public assistance. He says two swimming pools will be built at the Golden Years Activity Center branches at Cane Grove and Blackpoint to assist with water aerobics as well as for leisure.

He also stated that the $10 water meter charge was taken off for persons on public assistance. He further added that since his administration took office in 2001, pipe borne water in persons’ homes has been increased to almost 95 per cent, up from 75 per cent by the former New Democratic Party government.