Probe intensifies into old age pension scam
Thirty-one books found in home of ex postmaster
Stabroek News
October 8, 2002
Investigations into a suspected old age pension books scam have been intensified and letters were dispatched to 15 persons, including former postmasters and counter clerks in the country's postal service, who have been fingered in the current probe.
Minister within the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, Bibi Shadick made this disclosure in an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA).
According to GINA yesterday, Shadick said that a member of the Fraud Squad in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) had approached her ministry and informed officials that his team had uncovered some 31 old age pension books and a quantity of coupons from a house occupied by a former postmaster, who has not been seen recently although the building is now under surveillance. GINA quoted Shadick as saying that the ministry had printed a total of 40,000 pension books but because the lists from social workers in the regions had not been submitted with the names of pensioners currently receiving pension, the ministry had no way of accounting for all the books already distributed.
She told GINA that social workers in the regions had in their possession new books which would be given out to pensioners who had been approved by the Board of Guardians to begin receiving pension payments.
"The computerisation of the ministry's system," Shadick said, "has not met its completion deadline due to the negligence of those who are responsible for doing the job. We had a deadline of April 30 and up to September 30, we still have not been able to acquire a complete list of current pensioners in the country."
The minister noted that after she had confirmed allegations that there were officials within her ministry's system who were involved, she had taken a personal interest in the investigations.
"This is a grave situation but when I became minister one of my objectives was to better the system and that is what I will do. If there are persons who are involved in this scam, then they will have to be removed from the system. Let pensioners receive their dues."
Irregularities were discovered sometime ago when it was learnt that some pensioners were not receiving their payments while other names on the list were either fictitious or were the names of deceased persons, GINA reported. As a result, new books were printed with additional security features. Meanwhile, evaluations have begun regarding the printing of new pension books for next year. Those books have to be printed although investigations are continuing, Shadick said.