Pensioners on disability, who had their monies cut without notice, will start receiving their full benefits again by the middle of next month.
This was disclosed today by President of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) Akanni McDowall after pensioner Janice Harris staged another one-woman protest, this time outside the offices of the National Insurance Department on Culloden Road, St Michael claiming she still had not received her full disability payment as promised by the Government.
Member of Parliament for St Michael South Kirk Humphrey (left) in conversation with Janice Harris as she staged her one woman protest outside Parliament last month.
On June 1, Minister of Labour and Social Security Colin Jordan gave the assurance the benefits would be fully reinstated in days.
McDowall, who stood side-by-side with the 55-year-old NUPW member and heard her latest grievance, quickly went into action and made representation to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security on her behalf.
The union leader later told Barbados TODAY that he was able to get good news from the ministry.
Akanni McDowall
“We were told that payments would be made by mid-July,” he said.
Harris first staged a protest outside Parliament earlier this month after receiving a cheque for $47.51 for the month of April.
McDowall explained how he found out about today’s protest.
“Janice is a member of the NUPW for many years and I think she worked as a maid at the QEH [Queen Elizabeth Hospital]. And I saw her here at the junction by Chelston Park. I thought I should stop to find out exactly what was happening,” the NUPW president said.
He said the woman told him she went home medically unfit and her benefit had been reduced because of a decision made by the Government.
“I explained to her that the NUPW fought to have the decision reversed and we were successful and that the Government was supposed to restore all monies that were withdrawn because of a decision that was previously made. She said that had not happened and therefore she is in a position where she is only receiving $11.75 a week,” McDowall told Barbados TODAY.
It was at that point he said the union would take urgent action to try to address the matter.
Norman Blackman, a former police constable, who left the force medically unfit in 2006, said earlier this month that with three school-aged children to support, his invalidity benefit had been reduced by nearly $1000, leaving him to survive on a $179 cost of living allowance.
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb
