AND ABOUT TIME TOO!Local MEP Brian Simpson has welcomed the Governments decision to pay Gurkha soldiers the same pensions as
other soldiers in the British Army. Mr Simpson, as supporter of the Gurkha Welfare Trust which looks after ex-Gurkha soldiers in their native Nepal, said the decision is good news
and long overdue.“Our soldiers in my mind are the best in the worlds and none more so than our Gurkha regiment. They have
served with great distinction over many years and yet on retirement, they have been given a pension of one-fifth of that received by other soldiers. That has now been put right and
about time too.” Now the Labour MEP wants the Government to address the problem of existing pensioners who served in the Second World and Korean Wars who are now back in their
villages in Nepal.“There are still many veterans and the families of veterans who live off a meagre pension in what is the tough environment of
the Himalayan foothills. Whilst congratulating the Government on its pension decision, we have to be careful we do not create a two-tier system back in Nepal. To
avoid that I would like the Government to increase existing pensions also” stated Mr Simpson.If anyone would like to help the Gurkha Welfare
Trust, they can be contacted at:PO Box18215, 2nd Floor, 1 Old Street, London ED1V 9XB or
www.gwt.orguk“This is a wonderful charity, working hard in Nepal to help these
loyal people who have served the British Army for nearly 200 years and won no less than 12 Victoria Crosses. They deserve our support.” Concluded the MEP
