The attributed budget, in 2010, for the Support Subsidy for Elders and Invalids was 32 million American dollars. From this sum, which includes operational expenses, 29 million dollars have already been spent to pay the subsidy to 82 thousand beneficiaries.

According to the Law, the attribution of this support created by the IV Constitutional Government should be done quarterly if the payment is made in the presence of the beneficiary or monthly if it’s done by bank transfer. But due to several difficulties, during these two years it has been done in two phases: the first between January and June and the second between July and December. Teams from the Ministry of Finance travel to the sub-districts to do the payment directly to the beneficiaries, based on lists supplied by the Secretariat of State for Social Security.

This year, due to data readjustment, we made the entire payment in a single turn, but since we have candidates that only complete 60 years after the year’s second semester,  those will only receive in November and December” explains Vítor da Costa, Secretary of State for Social Security, adding that around seven thousand of the 89 thousand registered beneficiaries are still to receive the subsidy payment,. It is reminded that this year the subsidy was increased, passing from 20 to 30 American dollars per month.

The Government intends to institute this subsidy through bank accounts, as what already happens with the Former National Liberation Combatants and Families of the Martyrs, but according to the Secretary of State Vitor da Costa, “that is still difficult, because in Timor-Leste there aren’t bank agencies with the capacity to do this type of massive payment in all districts. Even if there were any, there would still be great difficulties for the elder population, because many don’t want to open a bank account. Others don’t have a way to go from the villages to the districts, thus we are still thinking how to make the payment through the banks, which, without a doubt, will facilitate and accelerate the process. But this year and also in the next, we will have to continue to do the payment directly”.