Published in the Greek blogs (Greek text) 6-7/ March/ 2012The title of this brief article does not conceal any irony whatsoever but originates in the need I felt the to say "bravo" to the appropriate people after reading the letter I received from The Ministry of Economics announcing a Census for ALL of us retired State and Public employees. We are asked to appear in person with this letter and an official identity card or a passport to the personnel of the Bank where the Government deposits each month our pension payment...
It was only recently that Greeks learned that after a similar audit procedure it was discovered that tens of thousands of retirees continued to receive their monthly payments from Greek Social Security Service for years after they had already entered…eternity!
We hope that the time has come to discover and control similar "irregularities" among the huge body of retirees who had worked for Local or Central Government and its various Institutions ...
I think (selfishly, I admit) that when the process ends up identifying those who continue, illegally and unethically, to receive pensions it will result in a decrease at the rate and magnitude that reductions are made on the euro amount of pensions paid to us who are entitled to receive them.
Having said my “bravo” to those who took this Census decision, as an old (now retired) university professor I would like to “pinch the lobe of the ears” of these same folk who failed to implement such so desperately needed controls for the last few decades. And I would “inch the lobes of the ears” of the current Government for not making such a CENSUS at the same date they “invited” the Troika (IMF, EU & ECB) to…save Greece and us Greeks!...
Then again there is a possibility that perhaps someone could come to their defence reminding me that in Greece, the country where oranges have always blossomed, there is an old proverb exonerating them since it does proclaims... "Better late than never!..”
It was only recently that Greeks learned that after a similar audit procedure it was discovered that tens of thousands of retirees continued to receive their monthly payments from Greek Social Security Service for years after they had already entered…eternity!
We hope that the time has come to discover and control similar "irregularities" among the huge body of retirees who had worked for Local or Central Government and its various Institutions ...
I think (selfishly, I admit) that when the process ends up identifying those who continue, illegally and unethically, to receive pensions it will result in a decrease at the rate and magnitude that reductions are made on the euro amount of pensions paid to us who are entitled to receive them.
Having said my “bravo” to those who took this Census decision, as an old (now retired) university professor I would like to “pinch the lobe of the ears” of these same folk who failed to implement such so desperately needed controls for the last few decades. And I would “inch the lobes of the ears” of the current Government for not making such a CENSUS at the same date they “invited” the Troika (IMF, EU & ECB) to…save Greece and us Greeks!...
Then again there is a possibility that perhaps someone could come to their defence reminding me that in Greece, the country where oranges have always blossomed, there is an old proverb exonerating them since it does proclaims... "Better late than never!..”
