Pension double standard

THE EDITOR, Sir:

IT IS now plain to be seen, according to latest reports, that our politicians only make laws that benefit themselves and their colleagues, while using grassroot people as fools. I say this as Parish Councillors are now to receive pension retroactive to April 1986, the same year I was made redundant from the St. Catherine Parish Council after serving for 29 years as supervisor and four years as Assistant Superintendent of Public Clean-sing and denied a government pension, while special constables were made pensionable in 1988 by Mr. Seaga's Government.

In the '90s I appealed to Mr. Patterson and his Government without success. While in the same year a PNP Member of Parliament, Arthur Jones, became sick and only served three years in Parliament, when the minimum required for MP to qualify for pension was 9 years, yet laws were amended to three years, so that Mr. Jones was able to qualify for a pension; again I wrote directly to Mr. Patterson pointing out the double standard to no avail.

I am finished with the present political system. Which politician really cares about the poor? We should take sleep and mark death. On the 13th May 2000, I wrote a letter to the Public Defender, outlining the facts as stated, no pension for 29 years service and seeking his help. It took 9 months before I got a reply promising prompt attention. Reply came 31st January 2001, until time of writing not a word from the office of Public Defender whose motto is, "A Voice of the Voiceless to Loose the Chains of Injustice". Sir, isn't this a sham so as to fool poor people and keep us quiet? No poor man can get justice in this country.

I am, etc.,

ROBERT SOLOMON

HENRY

Lot 11 North Monticello

Crescent

Spanish Town

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