Social Security introduces Gold Card
While the elderly were being wined and dine for the holidays, the Social Security Board was taking steps to ensure that life would be easier for seniors all year round.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
Retirement is supposed to be the time of golden years. Well, the Belize Social Security Board is hoping that its gold colored card, with the backing of local businesses, will provide senior citizens with discounts and services that will help them survive in what can sometimes be a cruel world.
Marta Hendrikx, Public Relations Consultant, BSSB
“We are setting up a senior citizens programme in Belize. This encompasses people who are sixty-five years and older.?
“We have several pharmacists that have already signed up with good discounts. The Community Drug Store, all five branches in Belize City are participating. They’re also giving some free tests and exams at the Barrack Road branch.”
Most seniors are concerned about health care, so the ten percent discounts offered at drugstores are welcomed. Other offerings may not be used that often, but at least the business houses are showing a commitment. As for the potential recipients, experience has taught them to wait and see.
Senior Citizen #1
“I have no opinion about the gold card because I thought they were going to give us a raise today.”
Senior Citizen #2
“Water should be added on, electricity, house rent, all these things should be added on because the poorer class of people can not afford to pay three hundred dollars a month rent and all these kind of things for a house.”
Senior Citizen #3
“Well, it is a start but I think they will need to improve it, it’s better than nothing, but I don?t know if I can say better than that.”
Senior Citizen #1
“Sometime you go to the drugstore and you buy the foodstuff and sometime you can’t take it because it cost more. So the ten percent is very good.”
Senior Citizen #4
“It’s better than none at all. Discount in medicine, everything that they say.”
Narda Garcia, General Manager, BSSB
“We have been negotiating further with BEL and BTL to get a more significant package for Golden Citizens, but again we can only do so much. It is the will and the financial viability of the companies that will determine at what point in time and what rate or percentage of discount they will be offering to the citizens.”
Senior Citizen #2
“Well I hope it will be of benefit to us, I hope.”
The gold card is a new concept for Belize and it remains to be seen whether its reality will match the hype. Reporting for News 5, Jose Sanchez.
The Gold Card programme is for all residents sixty-five or older, not just people receiving Social Security pensions. To get your Gold Card just visit your local Social Security office and bring along a passport or birth certificate. In related news, late this evening the Social Security Board issued a press release announcing sweeping new changes in benefits and payments. Among the new developments a twenty percent increase in pensions, increased maternity allowance period, increased cash benefits for sickness, injury and maternity claims and added coverage for accidents going to and from work. A corresponding increase in the amount paid by both employees and employers will also be enacted. We’ll have the full details in tomorrow’s newscast.
