Social Security under fire

If you receive your pay weekly, then today you would have noticed that your check is somewhat lighter. The recently announced increases in Social Security contributions will find most workers each paying almost six dollars more per week. Employers face similar increases in their per employee contributions. The tax hikes have been met with a firestorm of protests from all sides even though the Social Security Board extensively canvassed the public over the last eighteen months and found that sentiments were strong for expansion of benefits. Today the opposition United Democratic Party weighed in with its opinion and not surprisingly concluded that the higher charges amounted to a “cruel and unfair act”. The UDP called for the government to repeal the new levies and went one step further to also request the cancellation of the soon to be implemented National Health Insurance scheme. That plan will also require payroll deductions from workers and employers.

Last night Channel 5’s One on One featured SSB General Manager Narda Garcia and Stann Creek District Manager Grace Ramirez. The pair fielded questions from the public, explaining that the increased contributions will be used to significantly expand benefits. Some callers were not impressed, however, and at times the sparring between the UDP callers and Minster/host Dickie Bradley went beyond the usual Thursday night discourse.

Dickie Bradley

?Caller, all the health centres in this country must be upgraded. We can?t afford for anybody to go to a clinic and wait there until five from the morning ?til two in the afternoon and see the doctor for three minutes and get four pills. All the health centres in this country have to be upgraded. That?s what the government really needs to get after and tackle immediament. But we?ll discuss that another night with Minister Coye.?

Caller

?Let me ask you one question before I go. Do you agree with the increase in the Social Security contributions??

Dickie Bradley

?Ask me on Krem Radio.?

Caller

?Why not on Channel 5, you can?t talk the truth on Channel 5??

Dickie Bradley

?You?re trying to get cute and I?m going to tell you something out of the way and this is not that programme. Talk about Social Security.?

The government is standing behind the new Social Security plan, which has been consistently recommended by experts to a succession of administrations over the last fifteen years.