Pension plan for elderly, disabled

Main Stories, National
Source:

The National, Tuesday July 2nd, 2013

 PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has proposed to introduce a pension system for people with disabilities and people aged over 65.

He revealed this at the People’s National Congress party convention in Lae, Morobe, last week.

“We have an increasing population, number of educated people who are not able to get decent employment, number of aging population and people with disabilities and number of people without proper housing,” O’Neill said.

“We need to look into these issues carefully but urgently. We cannot continue to say that our economy is growing while our people continue to be marginalised and continue to lack basic services that they are entitled as citizens.”

He said the introduction of the electronic ID system would help the government plan programmes better

“We should introduce pension system for all persons with disabilities by 2015 and introduce old age pension system for all citizens who are over the age of 65. 

“The party needs to be revolutionary in its thinking to meeting the growing challenges we face as a nation.”