B’dians in their 40s can officially join BARP from April 20

INDIVIDUALS who are 40-plus will be able to officially sign up and join the Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP) from April 20th.
BARP President, Marilyn Rice Bowen, an- nounced this yesterday during a press briefing. She shared that the or- ganisation’s membership age was lowered from 50 years to 40 years last year. This occurred when a resolution was tabled and passed at BARP’s first virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) in December.
As of the end of March 2022, BARP has in excess of 20,000 members. Bowen stated persons in their 40s can sign up and join online. They also have the option to do so in per- son at a special event that BARP will be hosting, ti- tled “Members’ Fest”. This occasion is being held to welcome new members who are 40 years and over as well as those who are in their 50s, 60s and beyond.
The event, which is next Wednesday, April 20th, will additionally allow persons to renew their membership with the Association. Individuals will receive greater infor- mation about the benefits of being a BARP member. There will also be a chance to interact with representatives from insurance companies and other event sponsors on hand.
Bowen indicated that effective from next Wednesday, April 20th, the Life Benefit will be optional. It is no longer linked to Membership fee. Meanwhile, effective from that date the annual membership fee to join BARP will be $75, this amount comprises $65 plus a $10 joining fee.
Sharing more about the significance of having the Life Benefit, the BARP President stated, “I would want to impress upon those persons to still pur- chase the Benefit when the new price is available, because the health and the life plans are being re- viewed. As soon as we get the new premiums, we will share with our mem- bers as well as our media. But why is it important to purchase the Life Benefit? It is that between 2020 and 2021, 307 families were assisted with this Life Benefit. It is $5,000 and so the insurers paid in excess of $1.5 million to 307 families. As we speak this morning, the num- bers for 2022 are not yet available but we can say that 307 families were assisted with the Life Benefit.”