A war of words has broken out between the Bharrat Jagdeo administration and the major opposition PNCR over a proposed law that would grant the president special benefits and amenities after he leaves office.
In a full-page paid advertisement, the PNCR takes aim at the Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Bill 2009, accusing President Jagdeo of wanting to pass a bill that would ensure “luxurious living at the expense of taxpayers” for the rest of his life. Further, calling for all Guyanese to oppose the bill, the PNCR says with the tabling of the bill, Jagdeo has taken the presidency to a new low.
The government-sponsored bill, which will be debated by the National Assembly tomorrow, seeks to put into law benefits and other facilities to be enjoyed by every former President. In response, the PPP/C administration has placed a full page ad, which appears in today’s Stabroek News, accusing the PNCR of having double standards about transparency and accountability.
It says months ago the administration concluded its discussion on making the basis for the provision of benefits and conditions to former presidents statutory, while noting that historically they have been eligible for a range of benefits. Denouncing the attack by the PNCR as duplicitous, the administration pointed out that the opposition party never objected to non-statutory benefits which continue to be enjoyed by the Leader of the Opposition Robert Corbin.
‘Self-serving’
In ads, appearing in yesterday’s Kaieteur News and in today’s Stabroek News, the PNCR declares that President Jagdeo’s selfishness and presumptuousness are obvious, while explaining that the proposed legislation would ensure that he is well paid with access to a number of special benefits after leaving office in 2011. “By bringing this bill, while forcing miserly wages and salary increases on impoverished Guyanese workers, Jagdeo is ensuring that after he is no longer President he is guaranteed salary increases in the future by organising to pay himself seven eights of the salary of the serving president,” it said, pointing out that the President is after a future presidential pension much greater than his current salary.
“The People’s National Congress Reform believes that there should be benefits and other facilities to former Presidents. However such benefits should be specific and not open ended and self-serving,” the party added. It said too that in the long history of the PNC government, it never passed any law to serve the personal interest of any of its Presidents.
According to the bill’s explanatory memorandum, having regard to the services rendered by former Presidents and the dignity attached to their office, “it is considered necessary” to extend to them “certain amenities and benefits” during the remainder of their lifetime.
Among the benefits proposed by the bill is payment of utilities at the place of residence in Guyana; the services of personal and household staff, including an attendant and a gardener; services of clerical and technical staff, if requested; free medical attendance and medical treatment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by him for the medical attendance or treatment of himself and the dependant members of his family; full-time personal security and services of the Presidential Guard Service at the place of residence; the provision of motor vehicles owned and maintained by the State; toll free road transportation in Guyana; an annual vacation allowance equivalent to the cost of two first class return airfares provided on the same basis as that granted to serving members of the judiciary; and a tax exemption status identical to that enjoyed by a serving President.
‘Accountability’
However, the administration said its commitment to improving transparency and accountability led to the decision to make statutory the provisions under which constitutional post-holders would be eligible for those benefits and conditions that have been provided for, either by practice or cabinet decisions.
It noted that historically both serving and former presidents have received provision of free utility services at place of residence; the services of household and personal staff; payment of medical expenditure incurred by constitutional post-holders and dependent members of his family; home and personal security services; the use of vehicles owned and maintained by the state; and tax exempt provisions of goods on a case by case basis. “The public attack by the PNCR on the Bill before Parliament flies in the face of their demands for greater transparency and is dishonest since it seeks to create the impression that these are new benefits and conditions, now being created,” the government explained.
Moreover, it said it is the “height of duplicity” for the PNCR to publicly call for a rejection of the Bill without disclosing that it never objected to non-statutory benefits and conditions for the Office of Leader of the Opposition and even negotiated them as late as 2005. The government said those negotiations, which were spearheaded by the Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon and PNCR Executive Member Lance Carberry, created through Cabinet decision a number of benefits and conditions which are still being enjoyed by the Opposition Leader’s Office. Among them are furnished office accommodation, which is paid for by the state; security services; personal security; vacation allowance; chauffer; free medical treatment for the Leader of the Opposition and dependent members of his family; and technical, clerical and administrative staff. “One would have thought since the administration[’s] intentions were well known to the PNCR…, [it] would have taken a more principled position,” government emphasised, “one wonders what will be the PNCR’s position when the administration moves to render statute-bound those benefits and conditions… currently being enjoyed by the Leader of the Opposition.”
