PR Taur Matan Ruak: Pension beneficiaries “Veterans and Elderly Have Become Lazy”

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Jornal Nacional Diario 29.10.12 

Head of State Taur Matan Ruak said that, pension beneficiaries such as veteranos and elderly, are becoming lazy after receiving pensions from the government, because they just stop doing any work. 

“You sleep, guaranteed payment from the state so that you do not have to work, and I have said to them, sometime I will tell the government to stop paying out money, because when they give you money it makes you all lazy,” Head of State Taur Matan Ruak said in his speech to the Democratic Governance Forum organized by The United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) held at the President Nicolau Lobato Presidential Palace in Ai Tarak Laran, Dili last Wednesday. 

With this in mind, Taur Matan Ruak explained that the State already had it in mind to tell the government to repeal these pension programs. 

 “I will speak with the government to cease payment of these moneys one day,” Taur Matan Ruak said. 

Taur Matan Ruak affirmed that the beneficiaries of these pensions from the state, just sleep all day guaranteed of a pension and no longer want to plant maize, plant rice, gamble day and night just waiting for the state’s money. 

 “Whenever I go to the districts, I see veterans and former combatants receive this money, the old men receive this money, they don’t plant maize, don’t plant rice, gamble night and day, I tell we have all already died,” Taur Matan Ruak added. 

 The Head of State explained, “In the past during wartime, everything was easy for us to do, but now everything is difficult for us to do, because in the past it was all of ours collectively but now it is ours individually instead. 

 Why is it that things are more difficult now? In the past during the war we could do anything and now it is all so much harder. It is harder because in the past we spoke of ours, now we speak of me, mine,” Taur Matan Ruak said. 

With this Taur Matan Ruak asked pension recipients and everyone to work hard. The Head of State went further saying that currently Suco Chiefs are also demanding a salary. 

“Those Suco Chiefs who are lazy, should not have an increase in their subsidy payments,” Taur said. 

He added that from now on it is time to work hard so that the people can feel that local leaders, the state and government are really concerned about their lives, which right now is still of poverty and misery.

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