The modification of the method to calculate the amount of pensions due to age and total disability decreed by the Cuban government continues to generate doubts and discomfort among retirees and pensioners.
After the promulgation of Decree 99 at the beginning of January, officials of the Cuban regime have had to offer explanations and clarifications in the official media.with the aim of appeasing the spirits of those affected by the measure.
Among other issues,Virginia Marlén García Reyes, general director of the National Social Security Institute (INASS), explained that the modifications to the pension calculation only coverretired of the business system and not to those of the budgeted sector.
The INASS board specified that Decree 99 is not subject to those workers in the business system who requested retirement last December, but to those who request it from now on. It also does not affect retirees who have returned to work, nor those who have multiple jobs.
However, the measure – justified as necessary to “reduce social security budget expenses” – continues to cause discomfort among Cubans, as demonstrated by the comments left by Internet users onofficial media.
“Those of us who have worked hard for over 45 years and the scale was applied to us before the reorganization, [are] not entitled to any improvement. "It's sad," Manuel said in the newspaper's comments section.Workers.
“My name is Jorge Rafael Rodríguez and I am 75 years old. I retired under the old Law and I receive 1,525 something or so in retirement, which is not enough for me to live on at the moment, without expanding much. With all these adjustments being made regarding retirements and so on, what is my perspective?”
“What will be the situation for those of us who are already retired? Will the scale we have be maintained (in my case 1,628 CUP)? Won't it be reviewed?” “So, there is no pension increase for those of us who worked in budgeted companies? Please, we need to know that, because, if so, we would be left with what we currently receive in pension,” asked others.
“I would like to know what analysis has been carried out in relation to people who retired before the reorganization and who currently receive pensions below 2,000 pesos,” demanded Isabel Martínez Medina.
In a long comment, the Internet user identified as Sonia Hazzard described a situation that portrays a good part of Cuban retirees and pensioners.
“It's very sad about the pensioners, and I live it very closely. I have my father, an 82-year-old retired doctor, who when he graduated in Havana went to provide social service to the Sierra Maestro in 1970; In 1979, when he was preparing to return to Havana, they asked him for 6 months of support at the Nicaro nickel factory; He was a national vanguard for 6 years, he carried out an internationalist mission in Ethiopia, a combatant in the rebel army, a literacy teacher, he was in Playa Girón, he was a teacher for my medicine professors and do you know how much his retirement is?” he asked.
He then responded: “1,680 pesos. And like my dad there are the other nurses, teachers, welders, bakers, in short, that entire generation of the 70s and 80s who today most retired at the beginning of 2000 and have a checkbook smaller than that of a social worker. I think the country's leadership should think about those people. They should not be vulnerable, they should be able to live with dignity in their retirement, because they gave their lives with the dream that one day we would be better.”
“I am a Public Health worker, retired and with 24 years of service. They told me that the increase does not correspond to me because I am a Document Management Technician, and they do not consider me a Health Technician, nor do Health Assistants (for example, someone who scrubs biological samples in a laboratory). My question is: Do only doctors, stomatologists and health technicians deserve it? And what about the rest of the staff?” asked Luisa María Gómez Machado.
"I am retired from education. Due to illness problems I was retired in March 2018, I receive hemodialysis treatment three times a week. My current pension is 1,733 pesos. As a vulnerable person I would like to find out if I can receive financial help for part of the government. I don't want them to give me anything, but from time to time they sell us a module with food, very important for our health. There are people who receive it for free and immediately sell it, and those who are really sick and. needs it, they don't give her anything," María Teresa Bles Santelices complained.
“And the retirees who did it under the previous law, who only received between 1,500 and 1,600 pesos (which is not enough for us at all), where are we? Is it that no one thinks about us, that we give all our effort and sacrifice to work? And now we are left to our own devices, like old morons,” asked Blanca Rosa Santos Fernández.
What do you think?
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