On the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Older Persons, Bernard Degraff, the director of the National Old Age Insurance (ONA), has issued a message to the population.

"[...] due to the consequences of the precariousness [and living conditions in the country] we can not celebrate the International Day of Older Persons, as do the more affluent countries than ours. This commemoration should be a time of deep respect for our elders, but also and above all, a call for harmony, 'sine qua none' condition to improve the living conditions in our country.

Through its mission ONA, accompanied for nearly 47 years, the Haitian workers in their quest for a decent retirement. Unfortunately, during this path agitated, the Office has too often been diverted from its primary mission and was a orchestrate docile instrument in the hands of people more concerned with their own welfare, than that of our pensioners.

After this painful observation and according to the instructions of the President of the Republic, we have been working for a year now, to put the ONA first at the service of the third age, substantially improving the pension paid to our policyholders ; by defending with pugnacity the right of our employees, to a retirement that is dignified with the employers by declaring the process of modernization of the ONA and working tirelessly on a large project which must be completed by the end of the fiscal year, which begins today [Monday], at the inauguration of a the 3rd Age Centre of international standard.

Us, of the new ONA in becoming, we believe that this noble age in the life of a person, should be synonymous of attention and affection. It also calls for the establishment of a legislative framework to develop a better communication gateways between retirees and active. To this end, we will soon have to the ONA, a body of social workers, who will be responsible to help Haitian families to give more attention and better support to the pensioners.

We also noted, that the workers did not understand very well the importance of pension at retirement, subsequently, the quantity of Haitian retirees who receive a pension acceptable is minimal.

This is a challenge that we intend to address in full compliance with our mandate. While wishing our wishes for peace and love to all our 'grandèt' in general, and to the pensioners of the ONA in particular, we invite the entire social body to meditate on the theme chosen this year by Haiti, namely 'Devlopman pa dwe fèt san grandèt yo, yo se nanm peyi dayiti' and we call on solemnly, to protect a little better, the greatest gift that God gave to the Earth : Life.

Thank you for your attention"

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-6772-haiti-social-international-day-of-older-persons.html

S/ HaitiLibre