Ministry probes rising abuse of elderly welfare recipients

The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection has received reports of abuse involving elders, particularly cases linked to the Elderly Social Pension Scheme.

This was confirmed by Minister Sashi Kiran, who highlighted the issue during community visits and village meetings.

Ms Kiran said the Ministry has received another serious case of embezzlement involving a person with a stroke and vision impairment, which is currently under investigation.

She said exploiting a senior citizen is not only a crime but a profound failure of society’s values.

“In 2024 alone, nearly 2,000 reports were received by the Fiji Police Force on crimes committed against senior citizens in Fiji, with 62 per cent involving property theft — often perpetrated by those closest to them,” Ms Kiran said.

“While we encourage and make appeals to protect PIN and card details, we realise that senior citizens often write these down and sometimes share them with others when seeking assistance with withdrawals.”

Ms Kiran has urged family members to assist their elderly relatives with their banking needs.

She said providing a trusted escort to the bank can prevent elderly people from becoming targets for scammers.

“The Ministry also has provisions for third‑party withdrawals," Ms Kiran said.

“In cases where a primary welfare recipient is unable to collect their allowance due to old age, disability, illness, or immobility, the recipient must formally nominate a trusted third party to collect the allowance on their behalf.

“This arrangement must be approved and recorded by the Ministry to ensure safeguards are in place and to prevent misuse or exploitation, with both parties’ details reflected on the pension cards,” she said.

Ms Kiran said where recipients face mobility challenges, families are advised to visit their nearest Social Welfare Office to formalise third‑party collection arrangements.

“These families are often visited by our team for monitoring purposes to ensure beneficiaries receive the intended support through third‑party withdrawals.

“The Ministry will work closely with the Fiji Police Force to ensure those who target our elders face the full brunt of the law.”

She also acknowledged the “Good Samaritans” who stepped forward to support Mr Kauwele and thanked those who generously donated to his account.

“We call on all Fijians to report any attempts to scam or exploit vulnerable individuals.”

The Ministry is working to establish a dedicated toll‑free line by the end of this month to receive complaints related to social protection schemes.

Feedback: laiseana.nasiga@fijisun.com.fj