BAPDA Criticizes SSB Over Ciau’s Invalidity Benefits Claim

The Social Security Board is facing backlash from the Belize Association for Persons with Diverse Abilities after releasing a statement on Thursday about Santiago Ciau Junior’s ineligibility for invalidity benefits. As we reported earlier this week, the former police officer passed away on Tuesday, just over a year and a half after being retired from law enforcement due to medical unfitness. Ciau’s retirement came several years after he suffered a severe fall while on duty in Belize City, an injury that led to a serious bone disease. The S.S.B.’s statement explained that, after reviewing the application and relevant documents, the Medical Board, guided by the Social Security Act, ruled that Mister Ciau did not meet the requirements for invalidity benefits. Kenrick Theus, president of BAPDA, has criticized the board’s decision to deny Ciau these benefits.

 

Kenrick Theus, President, BAPDA

“You are saying that you can’t work, you are medically unfit to work but if you get the hip replacement at X cost which we’re not going to pay for, then you can come back and get your benefits now.  Or, you will just get your hip replacement and work and not get any benefits.  How do we read into that, you see?  It’s unfair.  Whatever happened to this gentleman is unfair and certainly, it’s something that needs to be broadcast to the entire country so people could understand what social security is about.  I will say something else that’s controversial about social security.  I have no objection to them giving the money to anybody they want to give it to, but the loan must be secured, it must be beneficial to as many people as possible, and it must be paid back in a timely manner. They’re able to let go the money so fast and we’re saying that this money came from the very… the beneficiaries of this money should be the people and when it comes to the people getting any amount of money, it seems to be a hard task.  It’s something that they have to fight, go back and forth.  This man can barely walk, ih got hip problems, ih got wah disease eena ih bone and you want him up and down, and up and down at your office every so often to come and prove what?  And on top of that, he must now go to the High Court which is a tidy penny. In this case with this gentleman, it’s sad because now he has departed this life, I’m not sure if he has any children or not, but he has a family, mother, father, brothers, whatever, and I think that it should not just die there.  If it is possible, at all, it should still go to the High Court and let them decide to accept or reject his claim for benefits.”