It is the responsibility of the Government and indeed all of us to care for the elderly members of our society by designing retirement and social security benefit programmes.
As we are living today, let us not forget that the economic benefits that we are enjoying today are as a result of our senior citizens who devoted the precious years of their lives tilling and labouring for their descendants to benefit.
It really pains me when I read in the newspapers and listen and watch on radio/TV that some retirees even died before getting their benefits. I am sure the Patriotic Front Government is working towards reversing this trend of allowing elderly people to suffer after many years of service.
I would like to mention here that as we are looking at the content of the draft national Constitution, let us also look at the way the Constitution could incorporate issues to do with the retirees.
For example, if someone has five years before retirement age, let such people have an advance towards their benefits rather than waiting until one is completely out of employment and also is feeble in terms of doing business and other investments! By so doing, we will be preparing those who are near retiring.
Let us plan for our retirees and certainly things will work well for us if we look after the elderly people in a respectable and good way!
Gady Mwamba Museka
Kabwe
