The Member of Parliament for Chaguanas East is calling out the government and the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services for their continued and deafening silence on the controversial and offensive clause of the Amended Pension Bill. Despite their hollow assurances and disingenuous claims that the clause was “mysteriously inserted” by an anonymous public officer, the Bill, complete with the alarming provision that disqualifies pension applicants with savings over $25,000, remains firmly on the Order Paper.

The government’s failure to withdraw this oppressive piece of legislation raises disturbing questions: Is the government deliberately stalling, hoping the population forgets? Or is this just another sinister attempt to rob our elderly of their dignity and rightful support?

Let us be clear, this proposed clause is a direct attack on the elderly and vulnerable. By imposing a harsh and arbitrary $25,000 savings limit, the government is effectively punishing seniors for managing their modest resources responsibly. Imagine working your entire life,
saving to cover medical emergencies or funeral expenses, only to have your basic pension ripped away by a callous and untrustworthy administration.

What is even more disgraceful is the government’s shameless attempt to wash their hands of responsibility. They would have us believe that a faceless, nameless public officer inserted this clause without their knowledge, but who in the population believes that? If the government was serious about protecting our elderly, why has the Bill not been withdrawn from the Order Paper? Why has there been no public statement, no clarification, no action?

This is not just incompetence, it is premeditated deception. The people of Trinidad and Tobago are witnessing, in real time, a government that says one thing in front of cameras and does the exact opposite behind closed doors. This betrayal strikes at the heart of trust between the people and those in power, and the silence from the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services is both deafening and damning.

The Member of Parliament for Chaguanas East demands immediate answers:

1. When will the government formally withdraw this oppressive Pension Bill?

2. Who is responsible for inserting this clause, and why has no one been held accountable?
3. Will the Prime Minister publicly guarantee that no such measure will ever be reintroduced?

To the people of Trinidad and Tobago, this is a warning: If the government is willing to quietly slip such a cruel clause into a critical bill affecting the most vulnerable, what else are they hiding? Today it is your grandparents, your parents, tomorrow it could be you.

The Member of Parliament for Chaguanas East urges every citizen to stay vigilant and demand accountability. We cannot and must not allow the government to double-deal and deceive us any longer.