Eliminating Age-Based Discrimination in Governmental Entities Age-based discrimination, or ageism, is a prevalent problem in our community, especially in the area of employment, which has a negative effect on the degree of active participation of certain groups. For example, in the statutes of various governmental entities there have been observed worrying clauses regarding the age of members of the boards. In some cases, age is mentioned as a reason for mandatory exclusion in the requirements for appointment as a member of a council. For example, Serlimar S.G.
no member may be older than 65 years and in ANSA N.V., a commissioner who is at the age of 70 should retire.
In the framework of the vision to stimulate the participation of Older Adults in our community, Minister Arends has requested advice from all the agencies that fall under his charters to identify and eliminate all forms of ageism from their organizations quickly. Age discrimination is unnecessarily offensive to those affected and can also harm the management of an organization. Age brings experience, knowledge and confidence. Rather, qualities should be required of board members. The arbitrary exclusion of candidates on the basis of age, in addition to being offensive, can cause a talent drain. The public sector would benefit from eliminating all forms of ageism, when dealing with older adults, from every instance.
Minister Arends proposed to the council of ministers to adopt the principle of not allowing the use of age as a criterion for hiring, appointing or dismissing members of boards. Appointment and removal of directors must be based on compliance with “Good Corporate Governance”. This is a vision that will try to realize by mid-2024. Therefore, all forms of ageism should be removed from the statutes of governmental entities by this time.
Adopting this principle will give the private sector a signal to follow the government’s example and thus effectively combat this type of discrimination on our island.
Minister Arends remarks that our community of the elderly, who built this country, still has much to offer us and that the good integration of older adults in our society will only strengthen us as a country.