Minister Highlights Govt’s Seniors Commitment
Minister of Social Development and Seniors Tinee Furbert addressed the audience at Age Concern’s Public General Meeting.
A Government spokesperson said, “The Hon. Tinee Furbert, JP, MP, Minister of Social Development and Seniors, addressed a vibrant and engaged audience at Age Concern’s Public General Meeting last week Thursday, September 26th at the Evangelical Church Hall, Paget. The event provided a powerful platform to recognize the contributions being made by the community to support Bermuda’s older adults and highlight the Government’s ongoing commitment to improving their quality of life. Minister Furbert delivered a heartfelt keynote address, emphasizing the importance of community-wide support for Bermuda’s ageing population.
“Minister Furbert reiterated that many of the initiatives discussed stemmed from the Government’s Mid-Year Review, which reflects the significant investment aimed at creating a fairer and better Bermuda for all seniors.”
“We see you. We hear you,” Minister Furbert stated. “Whether it’s lowering grocery costs, providing financial assistance for medical care, or strengthening legislation to protect against financial exploitation, our Government is committed to ensuring that Bermuda’s older adults live with dignity, respect, and security.”
The spokesperson said, “Minister Furbert also announced the launch of Bermuda’s first-ever National Seniors Strategy, a comprehensive roadmap to guide Government policy for the next decade, and encouraged attendees to share their thoughts on the proposed draft by the October 18th deadline.”
Mercedes Pringle-DeSilva, Executive Director of Age Concern, echoed the Government’s focus on respect for our seniors, stating, “The success of our programmes speaks to our core mission: ensuring that older adults in Bermuda live with dignity, respect, and access to the resources they need. We are honoured to serve as the bridge, bringing support, education, and hope.” This sentiment was further supported by Dr. Edonna Bean, Operations Manager of Programmes at Age Concern, who spoke about the direct impact of their services.
Dr. Bean stated, “Despite challenges such as a two-month waitlist for food support, we distributed approximately $66,000 in aid this year, with $39,000 going toward direct financial support and the rest as in-kind donations for essential needs like medical bills, rent, and living expenses.” Age Concern Board Chair, Tanya Bule, highlighted a pressing issue of senior security, particularly the growing threat of fraud over the phone and online. She stated, “Seniors are increasingly vulnerable to scams and we must be proactive in protecting them,” underscoring the need for continued education and vigilance in this area.
The spokesperson said, “Minister Furbert highlighted the Government’s Dementia Care Pilot Programme, an initiative designed to assess and support those living with dementia and their caregivers. She also stressed the ongoing efforts to increase pensions annually, lower grocery costs through duty relief, plans for a senior day care program and healthcare access through a national health plan.”
The Minister also expressed deep gratitude to the caregivers and families supporting their loved ones. “To the caregivers and families, we see the sacrifices you make, and we want you to know that you are not alone,” she said. “We must continue this work, knowing that how we treat our elders reflects who we are as a society.” As Bermuda’s ageing population continues to grow, Minister Furbert encouraged the community to actively participate in the public consultation process for the National Seniors Strategy. “Together, we will shape a future where everyone can age with dignity, independence, and security, and build a better and fairer Bermuda for all our seniors.”
Read More About
Category: All
If the Government really cared for its seniors, wouldn’t it look after its retired Civil Servants/Public Officers? The Public Service Superannuation pension has not had any adjustments for inflation since 2012. Is this an acceptable way to treat those seniors? Their cost of living has risen as much as everyone else’s.
“wouldn’t it look after its retired Civil Servants/Public Officers?”
The Government does take care of them. Their pension is based on their final salary and they did not have to pay into any pension fund.
People like me get a pension based on what we have saved in our pension fund over the last 20 odd years. I wish my pension was paid for by Government and not me!
A Member of.
Look like every one walked out of that meetings revolving door empty handed !
” Every body talks and every body walks “
Public Officers do pay into the Public Service Superannuation Fund (PSSF), out of which their pension should be paid. A chunk is taken out of their salary every month for this.
It appears that the PSSF has not been well managed, so there aren’t sufficient funds in it to cover appropriate cost of living adjustments.
“there aren’t sufficient funds in it to cover appropriate cost of living adjustments”
The Public Service Superannuation Fund has not had sufficient funds to provide for the pensions of civil servants for decades. It is not so much a management issue as a financial issue. Civil Servants to not pay enough in to the Superannuation Fund to pay for their respective pensions. We have known this for decades. The government actuaries were raising the alarm in the 1990s if not not the 1980s.
That is the source of my repeated references to unfunded pension liabilities on the part of the Bermuda Government.
So, if the unfunded liabilities were known for so many years, why wasn’t the situation addressed rather than kicked down the road? Sounds like poor management. Now it is boiling down to retired Public Officers not having the pensions that they need to live adequately. Should the PSSF have been given to private pension managers decades ago rather than left to be another thing inadequately managed by Government?
Leaving aside the fact that a final salary pension model was never economically viable, your guess at the root of the problem is a good as mine. I have never been a civil servant and I have never been a member of any political party in Bermuda. All I know is that successive governments have kicked the unfunded liability issue down the road for decades.
So, in essence, it comes down to the present Government not caring enough about a large segment of its elderly population by not fixing the PSSF and giving the retired Public Servants a reasonable inflation-adjusted pension.
The Instatution of Government do not need to be told that earlier this year Government our retired senior workers were promised an increase in our contributory pension to cover inflation which would be forth coming during the month of September 2024.
That retroactive amount has become over due .
I write this with out reference to others reflections of dissatisfaction.
I /we have personally payed in to the system for for a considerable period of time, assuming the income revenue fund was or an investment account or both.
I note that the amount offered/ promised was less that the escalated increase in the costof living .
TYPICAL. to be blunt a rip off.
We can only assume the worst, at best guess, new Chinese busses and cars and possible a few other controlable Jet/ Hotel expenses to name a few has clogged the works or is that is my simple assumption cop out .
Money like water it does not flow up hill .
I can not think of any one retiree that has not bust their rear end for Government my job cost me two cars.
I / we can not survive on excuses or better said neglect.
“Promises made has become promise delayer “.
How does the Government expect their retired seniors to survive?
We can not continue eat chicken soup ever day.
Whatever we purchase is subject to import duty looks like we get just half a cake.
A classic case of manipulation of the revolving door.
Government retirement policy is/ was ill conceive the thinkers were not thinking i and we can assume that many could have easily remained for another 5 years however we were deneighed that option .
Reality and policy always clash .
Golden rule ! Never throw out the baby with the bath water. .
“I note that the amount offered / promised was less that the escalated increase in the cost of living”
PAC MAN, I do not know what to say to you. I have been saying the same thing for some time now. The rate of price inflation reported by the Bermuda Government is less than that of the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. That means that either the cost of goods comes DOWN once those goods are shipped to Bermuda, or the Bermuda Government has been misleading us on the rate of price inflation.
The Bermuda Government promised a 2.4% increase in seniors’ pension benefits, explaining that “seniors will see the increase reflected in their October 15, 2024, pension payments.” The problem with that is that price inflation has been greater that 2.4% for the last 4 years. That means that in real terms, your pension has lost purchasing power.
I hope you still have enough to get by.
Are we retirees catering to inflation and not dealing with it by setting limits on profiteering and price gouging.
Self service became the norm yet the price stayed the same.
” The elephant never forgets !”
Joe Blooge
Greetings
>>>> All of our penson fund were contributory . <<<<
Young people back in history never though of, or giving consideration to being subject to under funded pension funds we relied on the pension managers. then again there are new comers joining those funds every day .
I " guess that the chickens have come home to roost "
" If we bang to many nails in the coffin we will eventually split to wood".
“setting limits on profiteering and price gouging”
The phrases “profiteering” and “price gouging” will mean different things to different people. They have no generally accepted meaning.
I am unclear on how you think limits can be put on the right to make a profit or the right to sell goods at a market rate in a capitalist economy.
Joe Bloogs
For your eyes only .
” If the shoe fits ………… wear it !
There are many of things in life that are subject to” generally accepted meaning “.
If I wanted you to know, i would tell you .
That often leads to disagreement or argument, make me wonder why some countries settle their differences by going to war .
I guess that you miss one of my last post which gave the reader the opportunity to interject their oun words in to several sentences in order to portray a complete dfferent assumption or meaning .
Putting limits on profiteering etc. is commonly referred to as , recession ! which appears to be working.
May I ask , is there any thing that you do not understand about …….
” You need to stop plagerising my posts. “.