BARP embraces 40-plus

In one week, the Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP) will formally lower its membership eligiblity age from50 to 40 years.

Today, BARP President Marilyn Rice-Bowen reminded a press conference that at the association’s Annual General Meeting held on December 3 2021, a resolution was tabled and passed to allow persons 40 plus to be able to become members, primarily to assist them with the process of planning for retirement from an earlier age.

“And why it’s important to start early is because very often, younger people tend to view the fact that one, they will not be around at 65 because 65 is real far and two, they always feel that seniors don’t need money.

“They figure that you just sit and blow away or whatever. But you still need to have money, you still need to go to the grocery, you pay the same utility bills. So, the 40’s are not taking over. They are coming and they are going to blend into the family,” she said.

The newest members will also benefit from discounts at businesses across the island, life insurance, health insurance, home insurance andmotor insurance which Rice-Bowen said will be launched shortly.

The official sign up and joining date for the 40-49-year-olds is Wednesday April 20, 2022, when a Members’ Fest will be held at BARP’s Headquarters, Mervue House, Marine Gardens, Hastings, Christ Church.

The President said that at the event where the emphasis will be on taking advantage of key platforms and maintaining and attaining a better quality of life, the association will also welcome the return of inactive members who will be required to pay the same fee as a first timer.

She made it clear that even though some persons in their 40s who may have an issue joining the organisation because its name might not appeal to their youthfulness, the association will continue to use its acronym.

The president said the association has maintained a spreadsheet of those who had previously indicated that they wanted to join BARP.

“There are quite a few people who are indeed ready. Like everything else you would get people who would be sitting and saying BARP is not for them. But they too will come around when they recognize that BARP is more than a source of discount.

“If you speak to some of them, some of them don’t even have health insurance, some might have families, some of them might have homes and these homes might not be insured. When you are a member of BARP there are certain opportunities that exist,” she said.

Rice-Bowen also announced that on April 20, the Life Benefit presently paid by members will become optional and no longer linked to the membership fee. She said those persons joining for the first time will be required to pay $75.

However, she stressed that it is important for members to purchase the Life Benefit, explaining that between May 2020 and May 2021, 307 families received assistance from the benefit with the insurance company paying in excess of 1.5 million dollars.

“I want to re-emphasize the power of this BARP card, the reach of this card. This card gives families the comfort and the knowledge that their financial expectations can be realized. BARP is everywhere and I want to encourage Barbadians aged 40 and above to come join BARP, be a member and be BARP-certified because that is what it is. BARP is a deeper and richer organisation than discounts,” Rice-Bowen said.

BARP’s Interim Chief Executive Officer Dr Glenda Gilkes said that those persons with internet access, can go online and join BARP through its official website which will be launched one minute past midnight on April 19. Dr Gilkes said those who attend Members’ Fest on April 30 will be allowed to enter a raffle where two persons will win dehydrators. anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb