Retirement not the end of the road for Senior Citizens

Mohammed NAALIR

Director of Public Affairs to the President J. P. I. Vajira Irugal Bandara addressing media at Temple Trees recently said the many stages in life - infant, childhood, teenage, youth, matured and finally the passing away — is the normal lifecycle of a human being while getting a job at an earlier age and retiring when they are 55 is now considered to be the normal cycle of an employee.

Although when one retires at the age of 55 he should not be a person to be bolted down but he could be used for the development of the country.

The National Federation for Senior Citizens of Sri Lanka (NFSCSL) is aiming at establishing a society beyond race, cast, religious, class and political differences within a new Sri Lanka.

To implement various projects to develop and promote ethnic unity to protect the human rights and democracy and to work in unison with international federations, the citizens who contributed immensely to the nation would be subjected to honour and they would be called as senior citizens and not pensioners.

Vajira said this activity could minimise the loneliness and develop intimate relationships and subject the senior citizens of Sri Lanka to international recognition, pave the way for higher studies of children of the innocent senior citizens while helping to exhibit the talents of the senior citizens.

Pensioners are a group of intelligent people and their talent could be utilised to develop the country. This intelligent community is facing immense hardships in the day-to-day life.

Different sectors of pensioners have different problems. For instance retired Grama Niladharis, retired health officers and various pensioned officers who were engaged in various sectors have various problems.

The idea of the Government is to find solutions for those problems, bringing them to a common stage.

The Government is striving to fulfil the needs of the retired Government servants. Members of the Security Forces who made a huge contribution to protect the country from terrorism should be given priority considering the services rendered by them.

The National Federation for Senior Citizens of Sri Lanka will be formed to find solutions for the problems of pensioners.

The NFSCSL has been formed to address the problems of the pensioners and prepare a common concept to submit a petition to the President to demand a solution.

When a question was raised on the disabled solders, Vajira said they will be absorbed into the senior citizen category when they reached 45. He said the age of 45 has been considered as the retiring age for personnel of the Security Forces and Police.

For instance the professors of universities need not to wait until they are 55 to join the Senior Citizens’ Federation. They can join the union when they are 45.

He said the senior citizens are categorised into three categories such as Government Servants and those who receive pensions, Corporation and Department employees who are receiving Employees Provident Fund.

Those who were employed in the private sector, the ones who were running a business and if he has given job opportunities for more than 100 in his business, he also can join the Federation as a senior citizen.

Persons that engaged in illegal businesses will not be considered for the senior citizen category.

The union absorbs only those who conducted genuine businesses. Mahinda Chinthana concept was formulated to develop the country irrespective of race, cast, religious and colour differences.

He said the pensioners are subjected to a huge recognition from the mass.

For instance the village physicians, the chairperson of the village volunteer organisation, Presidents of death donation societies as well as the Presidents and Treasurers of universities.

Those who live in a religious background can also become senior citizens.

The National Federation for Senior Citizens of Sri Lanka is the collection of different Federations of Senior Citizens unions such as those who are engaged in carpentry, fisheries, bronze works etc. Without the participation of these people a country cannot be taken forward and they also can join the Federation under the Suwashakthi category.

We consider betel farmers, dairy farmers and those who are engaged in essential service also as senior citizens. Farmers who supply products to the market are also senior citizens but not the ones who cultivate in the home garden.

The carpentry and fisheries sectors are also same. We have included to our indexes only those who are engaged in their profession for more than 10 years.

The chief prelates of mosques, temples and kovils are senior citizens. We consider them as senior citizens when they reach 45.

Although the former Army Commander, former Inspector General of Police and artists did not come to agreement they also have joined with federation.

The fisheries union is also a union with thousands of members. This is the only place where people can get together irrespective of their race, cast and religious differences.

“When the over-aged person reach the summit of the mountain the society push him in to the precipice. It is the worst sin in the world.

When a person arrives the age of 55, their services should be used to develop the country.

Due to the Senior Citizen Federation the children are also compelled to look after their parents and the elders can also gain legal protection from their children.

Piyasena Ranasingha (retired Grama Niladhari) Gampaha District Chairman of National Movement of Senior Citizens said there are nearly 60,000 pensioners in the Gampaha district and nearly 1200 pensioners of the Gampaha district participated in the first meeting. On the directive of Vajira Irugal Bandara they have coordinated 20 districts and held discussions in Temple Trees seven to eight times.

Ariya Bandara Dissanayake, a member of the working committee said that the Agrarians Pension Scheme was inaugurated in 1987 but for the first time agrarians pension was allocated in 1994 during the first session of the UPFA Government.

When a person joined the scheme when his age was between 55 and 59 he was entitled for a pension of Rs.1000 and if joined when he was below 55, he was entitled for a pension of Rs.3667.

This amount is not enough to lead their day-to-day life. The amount should be increased.

Muthu Sapu Arachchi, a retired School Principal and member of the union said that the females too could work hard to develop the country. Opportunities are available to work for the benefit of the country.

Christopher Bandara, Treasurer of the union said that he was very happy to form this union and this is a need of the time.

His aim was that the union would convert pensioners into a great person of the society.