Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has slammed the government’s handling of a recently rescinded policy that would have disqualified elderly citizens with savings of over $25,000 from receiving pension assistance.
Describing the policy as a “callous and deliberate attack on the vulnerable,” Persad-Bissessar accused the Cabinet of failing to admit responsibility.
“No public servant will get up on their own and decide on clauses that will disqualify elderly citizens with over $25,000 in savings from receiving pensions,” she charged during a press conference on December 19.
After public backlash, the government reversed the $25,000 savings cap, calling the disqualification an “error.” Persad-Bissessar dismissed this explanation, pointing to the extensive legislative process involved, including policy development within the Ministry of Social Development, legal vetting and Cabinet approval.
“This is not a simple oversight. The policy would have gone through several layers, including the Senior Legislative Review Committee chaired by the Attorney General, before reaching Parliament. How could such an important clause go unnoticed for over 18 months? Were they asleep at the Cabinet table?”
She also criticised the government for its attempt to shift blame onto public servants, saying this was part of a broader pattern of deflection. She cited previous instances where she said the Attorney General’s office sought to deflect responsibility during perceived legal missteps.
“This is not just about the AG or the minister responsible; it concerns the entire Cabinet. Their attempt to shift blame will not work,” she said.
Chaguanas East MP Vandana Mohit, who joined the press conference, supported Persad-Bissessar’s scepticism. She referenced what she described as a history of policies that harm the poor, citing the Ministry of Social Development’s removal of 18,000 people from the food support system in 2018 as another example of the government targeting the vulnerable.
“The government’s track record shows a consistent pattern of making serious errors that harm those most in need,” Mohit said, adding that frequent policy rollbacks create instability for affected citizens and lead to distrust.
Persad-Bissessar said the government was incompetent lacked transparency, taking particular aim at AG Reginald Armour.
She accused him of dishonesty, recalling previous “embarrassing” moments involving the AG. One, she highlighted, involved Armour reportedly misrepresenting his role in an affidavit during the Piarco Airport court proceedings in Miami.
Another controversy involved the “missing file case” at the AG’s office, where public servants were blamed for the disappearance of crucial legal documents. She added that the AG’s attempt to downplay the pension clause as a mere “mistake” was absurd.
She also addressed the statement made by Minister Donna Cox, who staunchly defended the controversial clause before it was rescinded. “She was clear – the government’s policy is that anyone with $25,000 or more did
