The financial aid that people with disabilities receive from the government every month is not enough to make ends meet. Their welfare will reportedly be raised from SRD 2,500 to SRD 2,750 but that still is not enough to help them make it through an entire month.
Aniel Koendjbiharie, chairman of Stichting Wan Okasi, did not respond too enthusiastically to the report that the government has promised to raise the welfare for people with disabilities. “Everything is welcome but what the target group receives right now is not enough. What can the people do with an extra SRD 250? With that money one can only buy a few packs of bread before they run out of money,” said Koendjbiharie whose foundation speaks on behalf of people with disabilities. Koendjbiharie explained that people with disabilities also receive the purchasing power boost of SRD 1,800 which means that they receive SRD 4,550 in total. But this is still below the poverty line of SRD 10,000. The government recently set the poverty line at SRD 10,000. The chairman of Wan Okasi explained that the foundation has often urged the government to make life a bit easier for people with disabilities. “But very little has been done for people with disabilities throughout the years.” The chairman labeled the decision of President Chandrikapersad Santokhi to raise welfare as an election stunt. “I seems as if they are panicking. When a person panics, that person starts to do crazy things. The president has in fact done nothing because the people are still far below the poverty line,” said Koendjbiharie.
