Long queues and frustrating paperwork are endemic to the nation's pension system. Al-Ahram Weekly investigates two desperate attempts at modernisation Two new systems, namely the "pension payment at home" system and magnetic cards, are being foregrounded by the Ministry of Social Insurance (MISA) as paths to the future. The first is aimed at covering a larger number of pensioners 65 years and older. The number of beneficiaries is reported to have reached 20,353 out of 18 million pensioners in 2002 compared to 17,563 in 1995. Also MISA has produced magnetic cards that can be used at 400 ATM machines nationwide. Additionally, MISA has established many new insurance offices, including outlets at social and sports clubs and professional syndicates, in addition to the National Postal Authority (NPA). The number of those who benefit from this service was 16,916 citizens in the year 2002. According to MISA's Ateya Ahmed, the ministry is doing its very best to serve its citizens. "We are very well aware that they are old people and may be suffering certain health conditions, so things have to be made much easier for them," she assured. Ihsan El-Mohamedi is a 63-year-old banker who has tried for eight months to collect her pension regularly. El- Mohamedi used to collect her money monthly from the bank. "But as I am diabetic, and cannot stand for long time intervals, I decided to take one of the ministry's magnetic cards, just to save my time and my health too," she says. However, El-Mohamedi is now cursing the day she has even thought of using the card. "None of the ATM machines nearby me have worked since the magnetic cards were issued, so I had to go and collect my money from the bank. A few months later I decided to go to MISA to check what is wrong with my card. They referred me to the bank that issued it, and there they told me that I had to go back to the ministry as there was misinformation recorded on the card. I went to MISA to tell them what happened, but they insisted that the information was correct. The bank is still insisting that the fault is not theirs. I did not know what to do so I stopped using the card and started again, standing for long hours to collect my money from the bank," says El-Mohamedi. Hossam Adel, a 69-year-old teacher who is suffering Parkinson's disease and polio, has completed four years ago all the required papers to partake in the pension payment at home system. It is difficult for him to move. "The only place I go to now is the bank to collect my pension, it is really very difficult for me to move, and still cannot understand why until now I cannot benefit from the home payment system. The only answer I get each time I go to the ministry is 'next month the service will start', though this next month never comes," complained Adel. Lots of others are concerned about services MISA has promised but not delivered. "I cannot see why people are complaining, the facilities are there and everyone deserving them is already benefiting from our services. To be very honest, I cannot believe that there is anyone who is deserving our facilities and not getting them," replied Ahmed.
