One of the most urgent matters that should be reviewed is that of the mandated retirement age in this country. It is unspeakable, beyond surprising, unconscionable that in this day and age that we force skilled, trained individuals to retire at 55yrs when it is obvious that they are capable and willing to offer so much more to this country when we desperately need then yet for some other reason, we are refusing.
The horrible thing though is that we cannot afford to refuse them. This country is short of qualified, experienced, competent personnel, many of whom have been forced to sit and home and collect a miserly pension or those that have migrated to other countries for better salaries, benefits, comforts, and a better standard of living in general.
Many of them have left for either Canada or America where there is no mandated retirement age but laws or policies for certain occupations set the limit for those involved in those positions. In America, a person cannot even be forced to retire because (s)he is 70 yrs or older.
Yet here in Guyana, with a shortage of quality workers we are forcing qualified, experienced workers to retire. Imagine, university lecturers with PhD’s and Masters have to retire, teachers, public servants, and judges etal are forced to retire when they reach a certain age in a country that needs them more than ever.
The Powers To Be (they should be the ones retiring to say the least), like to say that the populace is much better off now than years ago, that would seem to imply that people are happier, healthier and living longer so why should they not be allowed to work as long as they are competent enough to?
Even if they are not in favor of raising the retirement age, at least, make it voluntary so that those workers who are capable and willing to continue are given the opportunity to do so.
It’s just a thought, only a thought…
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