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URSM candidate Julian Rollocks Jr. and some seniors.

SUCKER GARDEN--Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM) candidate Julian Rollocks Jr. says government should take better care of the countrys seniors.

He said in a press release that since the launch of his campaign headquarters and the opening of his computer centre, he and his team had hosted a group of seniors and during his interactions with them, he had heard some of their concerns.

It is our collective responsibility to look out for those persons in their older days. For example, I noticed that in the Government Building there is no line for senior citizens. However, the banks have designated lines for our seniors. Our government has failed to designate a line for seniors where they can stand in peace and wait for their turn, he said.

Another example is that we have seniors who are collecting a pension and are being taxed as if they earn a full-time salary. Why should a senior pay tax on their pension? A senior has worked all his/her life and paid their share during the time that they were part of the workforce. Where are we going as a society when a senior citizen cant afford to pay their utility bills and put food on their table?

He also touched on the cost of living. Supermarket prices continue to rise. These days it seems that not only the working class but also our seniors are made to suffer due to the high cost of living. During my discussions [with seniors Ed.], I was made aware that they have been seeking answers from our elected representatives, all to no avail. Food prices for bread, milk, eggs and vegetables continue to rise. Government and more specifically the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication needs to step up the price controls.

Perhaps government can introduce a system where seniors can receive a 5-10% reduction on their groceries. I understand business and I know that its not easy, but we need to find a way to ease the burden on our seniors. A few years ago, the Ombudsman stated in a report that we have seniors who are still living in a deplorable state 3-4 years after Hurricane Irma. Again, this is another example that our seniors are one of the most neglected groups in society. I can recall that seniors had a relief programme at GEBE; this was a successful programme. Why not reintroduce this relief for our seniors?

Some of our seniors do not have access to the Internet to look up information online or pay their bills. While doing some research, I discovered that the United Nations lead agency on international development, UNDP, is trying to achieve 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. One of those goals falls under Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. More than four billion people still do not have access to the Internet, and 90% are from the developing world.

Bridging this digital divide is crucial to ensure equal access to information and knowledge, as well as foster innovation and entrepreneurship."

He said that while this may sound irrelevant to some, we are living in an age where Internet access should be available to everyone living and working in St. Maarten. I support this goal wholeheartedly and I will continue to champion this cause throughout my campaign. I believe our seniors need to be respected. I say this because they paved the way for us in St. Maarten. Our elderly worked hard, sacrificed, sent their children abroad to obtain a better education, he said.