The government’s decision to introduce the Former Presidents’ Benefits and Other Facilities Bill to repeal the 2015 amendments to the original benefits legislation has sparked sharp criticism from the Opposition.
Opposition Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul has denounced the move as “unconscionable,” characterizing the repeal of established benefit caps as an “insult to taxpayers.”
The proposed legislation seeks to remove the specific limitations on taxpayer-funded benefits that were introduced by the APNU+AFC administration in 2015 and 2016. Attorney General Anil Nandlall has argued that these amendments created unnecessary inconsistencies and were unfairly restrictive toward former Presidents. According to the government, the goal of the new bill is to “bring normalcy” and ensure a standardized, uncapped package of benefits for all former Heads of State.
In response, MP Mahipaul stated that the 2015 Act was never intended to deny former Presidents reasonable support, but rather to introduce “transparency, accountability, and sensible limits” on public expenditure. He argued that reverting to an open-ended system takes the country in the wrong direction, particularly at a time when citizens are advocating for stricter management of national resources.
The Opposition has expressed that it is not fundamentally opposed to providing dignified retirement benefits to former leaders, provided those benefits remain “transparent, justifiable, and subject to reasonable limits.”
Addressing the legislative process, MP Mahipaul called for the bill to be referred to a Special Select Committee rather than being rushed through the National Assembly. He argued that such a committee would provide a platform for:
Meaningful consultation between all parliamentary parties and stakeholders.
A careful examination of the proposed changes.
A modern, sustainable framework that balances the respect due to former Presidents with the government’s duty of accountability to the public.
“What we cannot support is a return to unlimited benefits funded by the taxpayers of Guyana,” Mahipaul emphasized, urging the government to prioritize a fair and sustainable approach that can earn broad public confidence.
