golden for pensioners who were unable to live by themselves or had no family to help. Though she was paid only about $400 a week, Mrs. Crane ran the St.

George's Parish Home past retirement age.

Then, when she she decided to retire for good two years ago, a cruel shock awaited her.

Mrs. Crane packed her bags, cleared out her living quarters and left the place she had called home for most of her life, ready to live out her retirement years in leisure.

But unlike most of the elderly folk she had cared for, there was no Government pension awaiting her.

"Not a red cent,'' said longtime family friend Mr. Cyril Dowling, who has tried for the past two years to get a cash settlement for her.

Members of the St. George's Parish Vestry, which manages the home with Government funds, say her job, despite the wage being paid by Government, was in fact "non-pensionable''.

Furthermore, she refused to pay into a contributory pension fund that was offered to her, Vestry head Mr. Pat Washington said.

But an angry Mr. Dowling blames the Vestry for not looking out for Mrs. Crane and Government for not keeping a closer watch on the management of its old age homes.

And he flatly rejected Mr. Washington's claims that she had turned down their offer of paying into a pension fund.

"I mentioned that claim to her twice and she said under no circumstances did they even bring up anything about a pension fund,'' he said. "She said they never approached her.

Government, Vestry blamed in row over retiree's pension "Even if they did, you don't give an employee the choice of pension, the employer sets it up.'' Mrs. Crane had been forced, at the age of 80, to go out and find another job to support herself.

She currently looks after her landlord's elderly mother in exchange for free rent and a small wage.

"I think a terrible mistake was made years ago and now they're all just embarrassed.'' he said. "They neglected to put anything aside for her.'' Mr. Dowling said he undertook with her permission to find out why she had been "left out in the cold''.

He said the Vestry told him there was nothing they could do for her because her job was not considered part of the civil service, therefore, was not pensionable.

Mr. Washington told the Royal Gazette Mrs. Crane had not been paying into a pension fund over the years either, although he insisted she had been given the opportunity.

"It was a non-pensionable job and we offered her a pension plan but she refused it,'' he said. "She never paid a penny into a pension fund. This is her own fault.'' Mr. Washington, who took over as head of the Vestry from Mr. Connie Simmons, said he had been present when Mrs. Crane turned down the pension-fund offer.

Asked if the woman who took over Mrs. Crane's job had any pension provisions, he said: "We are working on that now.'' Mr. Dowling claimed the new manager of the rest home was upset that she had had to approach the Vestry about a pension plan.

Mr. Dowling told The Royal Gazette he had contacted the Social Services department to try and sort out the matter which told him to contact Human Affairs which told him to go back to Social Services.

Mr. Dowling also said he spoke directly with Health and Social Services Minister Mr. Quinton Edness who promised to look into the matter but never got back to him.

He then called the Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan who was "shocked'' and also agreed to see what he could do. But he did not get back to him either.

St. George's North MP Mr. Leon (Jimmy) Williams, who also stepped in to help, was given "the run-around'' as well, he said.

"I don't know where else to turn,'' he said. "What it comes down to is the Vestry and Government neglected to put anything aside for her.'' Mr. Edness could not be reached for comment this week.