A fed-up mother braved the rainy conditions on Monday morning, December 19, to mount a one-woman protest at the Social Security Scheme headquarters, calling for payment of her maternity benefits.
Onesha Elvin, along with her 10-month-old son, stood outside the office at the corner of Cross and Long Streets carrying a placard that read: “Why should I have to wait 6, 10, 12 months for my benefits?”
Elvin spoke to REAL News correspondent George Wehner, declaring that she is tired of waiting to get what is duly hers, especially since she is currently unemployed.
This is a situation affecting other mothers, and Elvin says she has decided to stand up to force a response from the Scheme and the authorities behind it.
The woman notes that with the current cost of living, baby items, including formula and pampers, have become quite expensive.
Elvin complains that, on the eve of Christmas, she is unable to get her money; and she wants to be paid, she says, so that she can have some Christmas cheer in her home come Sunday, December 25.
Since she is struggling so much, even with the assistance of her partner, she says she can only imagine the challenges faced in single-parent households.
Elvin says that women – and, more importantly, the citizens of Antigua and Barbuda – should never be afraid to stand up for their rights and beliefs, since it takes only one person to effect meaningful change.
Wehner, who is also the United Progressive Party’s Mobilization Officer, says the Browne Administration continues to squander millions in taxpayers’ money ahead of the general election.
Accordingly, he, too, is calling on the Social Security Scheme to settle outstanding maternity claims before Christmas for the many mothers and their newborns who need to receive their cheques.
SOURCE: Real News
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Yet the majority follow behind this administration like headless chickens
Good for you lady! Stand up for your rights!
Wishing you all the best !
This is a very common situation. My sister had her son 7 years ago now and never got her benefits … she just never bothered but this is not uncommon
I commend this brave and articulate lady and mother. I trust that the NIS and its managers actively work on your matter before December 25 and ALL the outstanding claims so that affected persons are treated with respect and dignity and get their dues. Who feels it knows … it’s not an easy road. Blessings of success my Sista and I will pray for you .
You think Gaston go say she badminded?
Wait! Election around the corner.
Burna boy got dem millions and gone.
Red Dead
She have all right to picket about this issue because it’s overbearing now. Women should not be treated so poorly in no country. Maternity leave is for 3 months, if it isn’t for some of us that receive 60% from place of work, you won’t survive the financial burden that a new born brings. What’s the sense of being on maternity leave when you receive no benefits during that time from paying into the system every month. Someone tell me how does this makes sense? This is sickening now! And when an inquiry is made as to what’s the holdup they kept giving pure BS! Antigua Social Security evidently not serving the purpose for which they stand for.
Word of advice to those planning to have baby next year:
You won’t receive your benefits until the child is walking, talking and “standing-uping “
This hurts and is tasteless. The cockteeth overpaid guy the chairman I am talking is enjoying a wealthy lifestyle on the backs of our workers.
Then the government find money for all this ham and turkey. The African singer paid $$$$ and a simple issue like this is not settled. We really need to get our priorities straight.
It is really sad, what Antigua has come to. How can we work so hard and when it is time for us to get what is due to us, it takes so long. Power to this young lady. More of us need to stand up for what we Believe in.. it is only the poor and the single parent and the matured citizens of this country are suffering..
She’s lying – she’s a established worker and Established workers are paying their full salary even on maternity.
She’s owed $0.00
For the last five years she has not lift a finger to work fir government lost in 2014. A political junkie she be
Plus she had her child oveseas. She does work for government so she gets a monthly salary
Ah wah mek ah u labor party devils can’t mind ah u stinking dutty business.
Just drink ah u Kool-aid and go dead.
Ah u nah lub Antigua and Barbuda.
This is she in the name (ablp is a cult)
Her mother was called the “eagle” on crusader and Observer early-days
This was a political stunt
Ah who take pictures of court documents and pass it on to their political god? They worked at the court at the time too?
Ah you too dunce. Read wah ah go on in the country.
Stop worshipping Gaston Browne.
“Thou shalt have no graven images.”
I wonder how many thousands of dollars have been spent on all the plywood for those signs.
How much upp spent on the shoes the once gave y’all?
Blue ,yellow and white fake looking converse
Ah wha mek nearga so lie fu nutten? Onesha Elvin work inna Intellectual Property affice, and she ah wan known UPP hack. Ah so low aryou a stoop fu try fu win?
Lovell, Wehner, and de gang ah dem desparate no RH.
#UPPNEARGA associating with “#REALNEWSNEARGA” to bring a FARTICLE.
Most of you like to denigrate others. Regardless of where the baby was born. She is entitled to Maternity Benefits. You all are so political,bad minded,suffers from envy, jealousy and hardness of hearts. Your Ministers of Cabinet are filthy rich. While many of you are as poor as dirt. Not even knowing where the next dollar or meal a come fram.
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