BELIZE CITY, Wed. Dec. 13, 2017–Miss Leah Patnett from Wagner’s Lane celebrated her 104th birthday today. While most people would view reaching 100 years of age as an exceptional milestone worthy of recognition and honor, the Belize Social Security Board (SSB) appears to not share that sentiment.
Four years ago, when Miss Leah became 100-years-old, the Belize Social Security Board sent her a letter, in which they explained that the $100 that they had been paying her monthly, would no longer be issued to her.
What did Miss Leah do to receive such shabby treatment from the Belize Social Security Board? Nothing! She was only blessed to reach the golden age most people on the planet will never live to attain. Did she deserve to be cut off like that? Isn’t this discrimination against a person based on age?
Miss Leah’s only daughter, Rita Sedacy, told Amandala that her mother was distraught for quite some time after the Social Security Board discontinued her monthly grant.
Sedacy said that her mother was always an independent-thinking person and she was used to using her Social Security benefits to contribute to the purchase of her disposable diapers and her other small necessities.
Sedacy also told Amandala that after the SSB stopped issuing a monthly stipend to her mom, they sent an individual to their home to do an assessment of their needs. They have not heard from the SSB since that worker did the assessment.