Monday, February 24, 2014

Cutoff date for Pioneer Generation extended by one year

When the pioneer generation package was first leaked to the press, it was reserved only for those who were 65 years and older at the time of the budget. This would apply to people born in 1948 and earlier, and exclude those born in 1949. 

I wrote in Facebook that the first batch of NS men called up for full time military service was those born in 1949. They would be excluded under the original scheme.

I know of this fact, because I was born in 1948 and missed this "privilege". I wrote that it was an irony that the cutoff date would exclude the people the people who had to serve full time NS.

Someone probably read my comment and perhaps pass the message to the Cabinet. They probably decided to extend the package by one more year, to include the first batch of NS men.

What about the second and subsequent batches? This is the flaw of giving benefits based on a cutoff date. Some people get a lot of benefit, others get $0. This is a divisive policy.

It is better to give the benefit to everyone who has reached 65 years of age, now and in the future.

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