Minister Urges Seniors to Register With NCSC

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., is urging senior citizens to register with the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC).

“Register with the Council, so that you can benefit from all that the Council provides,” the Minister urged, during Wednesday’s (September 23) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, as he gave an update on Senior Citizens’ Month.

Mr. Charles Jr. noted that there are approximately 35,000 seniors who are currently registered with the NCSC.

He outlined that these persons benefit from several outreach programmes and support by virtue of their membership.

“We support senior citizens’ clubs. We do community outreach. We have retirement planning, workshops, digital and financial literacy [and] we do intergenerational programmes, bringing youngsters and seniors together,” the Minister detailed.

He explained that having seniors registered with the Council also helps the Government to coordinate assistance for these persons.

“When there is a disaster, if you register, we know where you are, who you are, what are your circumstances, and how we can help resolve your issues… . And we would have that data that can guide our decisions and how we allocate our budget,” Mr. Charles Jr. pointed out.

He also urged seniors to sign up for the Caribbean Community of Retired Persons (CCRP), which is a non-profit membership organisation for persons 40 years and older.

Membership in the CCRP allows seniors access to numerous benefits, including discounted health and property insurance, and discounts and special offers from more than 100 partners.