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Opposition Leader Benefits Bill for House again

Apr 08, 2010 News

Following a spate of deferrals the Bill defining the benefits of a sitting Parliamentary Opposition Leader is once again slated for the House, today.
When contacted yesterday, the Opposition Chief Whip, Lance Carberry, said that as long as the government is prepared to go ahead with the Bill today the opposition will take part in the debate and will support the Bill once the benefits are clearly spelt out.
He was responding to a query on whether the party would debate the Bill in the absence of the party Leader Robert Corbin, who is not in the country and is not expected back in time for today’s debate.
According to Carberry, debating the Bill in Corbin’s absence is not an issue given the fact that the benefits will be to the constitutional office of the leader of the Opposition and not to Corbin personally.
Carberry added also that his party would be supportive clearly outlining in law benefits and facilities for all constitution offices.
The Bill intituled Leader of the Opposition (Benefits and Other Facilities) Act 2009 was tabled by the Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh a year ago almost to the date.
The parliamentary opposition is also seeking to have the range of benefits expanded through some amendments that were tabled.
The piece of proposed legislation, according to Dr Singh when he tabled it, is one of many in which the government is now seeking to have a statute-based approach to such matters rather than leaving them to the latitude and discretion of the administration.
Under the proposed legislation, the Leader of the Opposition shall be entitled at Government expense to:- a rent-free furnished office accommodation; medical attention including medical treatment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by him for himself and the dependent members of his family; full-time security service at his official place of residence; the services of a secretary or an executive secretary, a chauffeur, a gardener and a domestic servant and vacation allowance as is applicable to a Minister.
The opposition, however, tabled a series of amendments that seek to expand the benefits of the Opposition leader.
The amendments presented by Winston Murray and seconded by the party’s Chief Whip Lance Carberry, seek to extend the security services provided by the Guyana Police Force to the office of the Leader of the opposition and not the residence of the person holding that office.
They also seek to extend the number of staff to be funded by the state for the leader of the opposition to cater for a research officer, executive assistant, clerical/office assistant and cleaner.
The amendments also seek to have the Leader of the Opposition paid a salary and parliamentary benefits equivalent to those of a Cabinet Minister.
It is unclear whether the government will allow the benefits to be extended by means of the amendments tabled by the Opposition Members of Parliament.
Following the passage in the National Assembly the Bill will, without prejudice to the generality of the provisions, prescribe the sums to which the Leader of the Opposition is entitled to receive and the date from which any sum is to be paid and every regulation made under the Act shall be laid as soon as possible after it is made before the House.
The Bill was tabled after a heated debate in the House over the Benefits Bill for former Presidents. This piece of legislation was formalised and is already in force.
The Guyana Action Party (GAP) was the only party that supported that Bill while there was only principled support from the two main opposition parties, namely the Alliance for Change (AFC) and the PNCR.

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