Limited access to healthcare and inadequate social assistance are two of the ills plaguing the aged population of Belize - that's the finding of the latest study conducted by the National Council on Ageing.
Belize along with other Caribbean and Central American countries has been identified as the regions facing the fastest growing population of older persons in the world.
The recently completed Country Poverty Assessment study, still in its draft form indicates a significant increase over the past 7 years, in the number of households in Belize living in both poverty and abject poverty.
In that assessment, indications are that a large percentage of older persons in Belize live not in poverty or within poor families. And while the poverty rate amongst the elderly is lower than the overall population, the report finds that the ever increasing population of older persons requires better and greater protection.
Today the National Council on Ageing held a National Consultation at St. Catherine's Academy Guadalupe Mercy Center, which is aimed at achieving a Universal Social Pension for Older Persons in Belize.
Maria Elena Sylvestre, Past President HELPAGE
"The important thing is that we must realize that older people, we have a commitment, an obligation to them, we cannot let them slip thru the cracks simply because they do not have a priority in the scheme of things."
Lindy Jeffry, Executive Director, NCA
"Government has already acknowledged thru the Country Poverty Assessment that there is a situation here, so they will be introducing a conditional cash transfer program to go to the most needy poor older persons, but I think what we feel at the NCA is that we really need something longterm to address the poverty of older persons."
The report also notes that there has been a steady increase in the number of aged persons living alone, almost a quarter of the aged population in Belize. That means no support from family, financial or otherwise. And with the governments' small non-contributory pension as the only source of income for most, the majority of Belize's elderly are living at a bare minimum. The push for a Universal Social Pension for Older persons in Belize along with Universal Healthcare is the ideal, but the long time voice of the aged in Belize, Maude Sylvestre says even holding on to the little that the aged gets from the government is a struggle.
Maria Sylvestre
"Government must not punish people for having help from family and friends. There have been cases where pensions have been taken away because of the support that family gives. This is not right. Those people should be supported and those contributory pensions should be expanded instead of reduced. I know it's hard times but we have the obligation to our older people."
Charles Knox, HelpAge International
"We have looked at the cost of the pension in Belize. And reflecting what happens and what's the situation most of what I see it doesn't look like it would be an awful lot of money to spend. So for example we have used a simulation using the population figures and economic data which suggest a universal pension, to take the current pension and give it to everyone over 65, would cost not point five of GDP Now to put that into perspective, that's about 2 percent of government expenditures, so we are not talking a huge sum of money."
Charles Knox is a consultant from HelpAge International in London.
The Country's Poverty Assessment - which we reported the results of in January - is officially still in its draft stage is expected to be completed sometime this month and presented to the Cabinet for its review in September.
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