The Poor Relief Law Needs to be Scrapped

Obviously there is need to scrap the poor Relief Law, as it is not serving simply because it is in unwarranted and incompatible with the very fabric of our society. It is clear that the rest of government is asking DCF to do something no other arm of government has the heart to pursue. DCF is right this time.

I do not think that fingers pointed at the Department of Children and Families is appropriate at all. We all can agree that it is indeed a very sensitive issue and that DCF has been confronted throughout the years with the reality they face. DCF discussions revealed that “ there is a deeply rooted cultural aversion to property liens in order to preserve the family land for future inheritance.”

I don’t think that government has the right to take away poor persons property from them or have it signed over to them just because they have become too old to work, disabled, or visited in the long or short term by some unforseen misfortune. Government should think of something else that makes more sense and works better for the people. This system of government liens on poor persons property is a very poor and sorry excuse for the appropriate social insurance systems not being put in place. I don’t know who’s idea this was or who is responsible for drafting such a law of "extreme social injustice", but they took the short cut and went to Burger King instead. Not good enough!

There is the Social security program that should be implemented here in the Cayman Islands. Each person employed or not, should have a social security number. It is also an ID card. Caymanian citizens would have a “Valid Social Security Card” with a number, and those on guest worker permit programs would have a Social Security card indicating their legal status. The system must be able to identify a citizen from a non citizen to avoid confusion, fraud and misappropriation of services. Working individuals can contribute a minimal amount monthly. Its your own money that will help you later on in life when you need it most. And you should challenge government not to dare put their hands on it to use for any other purpose than your retirement. It looks tough to manage but this is the way out and it will in the long run pay off. It is time for a Cayman Islands social Security Insurance system.

There’s pension fund that the elderly or the retired can benefit from

There’s 401K that the big corporations can offer their employees. Some are already enjoying this opportunity.

Individuals have a life time to build and invest into these programs once government has implemented them.

Now do not be confused. There is a radical difference between a Pension and Social security, even though they resemble each other. Social Security is not managed the same as a pension plan.

Pension are the working person’s retirement benefits which are provided to people who paid into a pension plan or have been granted pension benefits by an employer. This is already being done in the Cayman Islands. The question remains is everyone participating and benefiting from this program that is already in place.

All citizens and resident’s lives can be affected because of the lack of service systems .This includes the poor persons problem that they face with having government put a lien on their property. This should not be necessary, and should have never been implemented. There is a dire need for a Social Security systems which s crucial to the future and well being of the citizens and residents of the Cayman Islands.

Social Security is a social insurance program already working well in countries like the United States .It provides a wide number of services which includes taxpayer-funded benefits to the elderly, . This is what Social Security means, it will help the poor people so that government do not have to put a lien on their property for receiving DCF or other government social related services. It is a more comprehensive system of approach to serve the needs of the elderly and poor people in their dillemma.

Government’s neglect to pick up the Health Insurance Reform is another important matter that has been ignored, it is a travesty that other less important matters has been given more attention than Health Insurance Reform for the people of the Cayman Islands, this is very sad. Modern day elected politicians seemed to have either lost the true vision for this country or they have no idea what truly serving the people is all about. If Insurance companies will be allowed to continue to refuse insurance coverage to those with preexisting conditions and also drop those already covered just when they really need it in a health crisis, then our government is not doing its job. If an individual becomes terminally ill, insurance reform needs to have taken place in order to protect the lives of the patient, and also ensure policy payout to such individual as the time seems medically fit to do so. Instead of government carrying the burden the Insurance company is responsible for compensating such terminally ill individuals with the expected face amount paid out to them and this would help them take care of themselves from then on.

Even if government is asked to give some assistance, it should not cost the family their inheritance. This is ridiculous and inappropriate for our society. These are the kind of circumstances that places an individual who has worked hard all his or her life and is suddenly faced with sickness or some other form of hardship. Their situation is worsened if there are no government support systems in place to protect them from Insurance predators.

The DCF should continue to help those in need. The bible says you will always have the poor in the midst, and they should be taken care of. It says nothing about putting a lien on their property. That seems very socialist to me. The United States has a social security system in place for the disabled and the retired or elderly, why can’t the Cayman Islands do the same for its people?

We may be a tax haven yes, but you have to face your future and the reality is that the Cayman Islands does need a Social security system. Everyone will get old one of these fine days, and this would help lift the burden off government to have to fully support the, disabled and the elderly whenever necessary, they can support themselves by utilizing their own funds from the social security program they have been contributing to all along. It makes sense.

I suggest that the government discontinue all this reckless spending and redirect their attention to the real needs of the people.

I think it is time to scrap the Poor Relief Law all together as it is inappropriate for a small society such as ours. Its time to be innovative and prove to the people that you can make a difference and that it’s not just the ole boys and their same ole tricks de.ja vu. over and over again.

Florence Goring-Nozza