St. Kitts – Nevis Senior Citizens On Parade
Photo By Erasmus Williams
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
August 27, 2009 (CUOPM)
St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas has urged nationals in the twin-island Federation to participate in reviewing the National Green Paper on Aging.
Pointing out that with the improvement in the quality of life in general more and more people are living longer and the aging population is increasing.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Social and Community Development and Gender Affairs has embarked on an exercise to review the National Green Paper on Aging and invited the public to participate.
“Our elderly people are important to us. Our senior citizens are important to us. They are the treasures of our history, our heritage, our culture and they are important to us and we want to get your ideas on the Green Paper on Aging,” said Prime Minister Douglas on his weekly radio call-in programme “Ask the Prime Minister.”
He said that the consultations will be held across both islands and urged free expression on the National Green Paper on Aging.
“We want to ensure that our people have the opportunity to inform what’s government’s policy would be with regard to how we treat the aged and how to treat our senior citizens,” said Prime Minister Douglas.
Government recognises that ageing is both an indication and a result of socio-economic development especially as advances are made in the medical field and health systems is improved.
The policy is expected to create a comprehensive long- term approach to ageing and enhance the capacity to ensure an acceptable standard of living for the older population such that adequate and timely care is provided to those who need it and that basic health, nutritional, and other determined basic needs are met.
It is also aimed at broadening older people’s access to relevant information and available resources aimed at enabling them to overcome the barriers to successful aging at a time when elderly citizens are not only healthier but more active than would have been the case a few decades ago.
The policy is also geared at boosting the ability to tap into the resources and experiences of older persons through the promotion of continued participation in society and the community and is also aimed at enhancing self-reliance and functional independence of senior citizens.