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In two years, I will be a pensioner myself. So when I say the upcoming budget must increase the old age pension, I’m not speaking from theory—I’m speaking from fear and genuine trepidation.
Every week, I watch elderly men and women in the supermarket putting items back on the shelf. I see them at the pharmacy, asking the cashier to ring up just one prescription at a time because they don’t have enough to cover all of them.
Photo: iStockphoto.
I’ve stood behind a woman in her 70s who had to choose between her blood pressure pills and a bag of rice. She chose the pills. That broke something in me.
We keep hearing about the NIS contribution increase to 16.2% in 2026. We’re told it’s for “sustainability”. But what about sustainability for those already retired? What about the pensioner who can’t wait five more years for things to get better?
My mother always said: “When yuh old, time does move slow but bills does move fast.” She was right.
Photo: iStockphoto.
The government’s budget projects roughly $55 billion in revenue and $59 billion in spending. I’m no economist, but I know that redirecting even a small fraction of that to our seniors would make a world of difference.
This isn’t about being greedy—it’s about dignity. It’s about allowing a 75-year-old man to buy his blood pressure medication without wondering if he’ll have enough left for electricity.
An increase in the monthly pension is the obvious starting point. But if the Minister of Finance is serious about protecting the most vulnerable, there are other measures that should be on the table.
First, expand the Senior Citizens’ Grant. Right now, it helps those over 65 with limited income, but the threshold is too low. Many seniors earn just slightly above the limit and fall through the cracks. Raising that threshold would ensure more of our elderly receive meaningful assistance.
Second, introduce a prescription drug subsidy specifically for pensioners. We all know medication costs are through the roof. A dedicated subsidy—not a one-off grant, but an ongoing monthly credit at pharmacies—would allow our seniors to actually fill all their prescriptions instead of rationing their pills.
I’ve watched too many pensioners cut their tablets in half to make them last longer. That’s not healthcare; that’s a death sentence.
Third, freeze utility rates for senior citizens. Water and electricity bills are crushing our elderly. A simple policy that caps or discounts these essential services for pensioners would provide immediate, tangible relief.
The Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission and the Water and Sewerage Authority already have concessionary policies for some groups, extending this to all pensioners would cost the government relatively little but mean everything to those on fixed incomes.
(via Businesstech.co.za.)
Fourth, increase funding for the Meals on Wheels program. Our homebound seniors are invisible. They rely on this service to eat. Yet the programme is chronically underfunded, with long waiting lists.
The budget must allocate more money here so no elderly person goes to bed hungry because they can’t cook for themselves.
Fifth, expand the Property Tax exemption for seniors. Many pensioners own their homes but struggle to pay property taxes on a fixed income. Exempting more seniors—especially those in lower-valued homes—would keep them from being taxed out of the very houses they worked their whole lives to own.
Photo: Ghansham Mohammed/ Wired868.
Some will say: “We can’t afford it.” But how can we afford to ignore the people who built this country?
These are the men and women who worked in the sugar cane fields, who taught in our schools, who drove our taxis and ran our shops. They paid taxes their entire working lives.
Now, when they need us most, we’re telling them to tighten their belts?
I’m not asking for millions. I’m asking for a modest pension increase that matches inflation, plus these sensible, targeted measures that cost relatively little but deliver enormous relief.
Copyright: Office of Parliament 2025.
I’m asking for our minister of finance to walk into a pharmacy in Arima or Couva and watch what I’ve watched. Then tell me the budget can’t find room for our seniors.
I’ll be a pensioner soon. And I’m scared—not for myself, but for all of us who gave our best years to this country and now feel forgotten.
The budget is coming. Please don’t forget us.
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Salaah Inniss is an ardent writer with an enthusiasm for bringing insightful views on national issues. He graduated from Cipriani College in Environmental Management, and is presently working in the Integrated Facilities Building Service Industry. He is an empathetic supporter of conservation and the protection of the environment.
