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Jagdeo is getting too many benefits – Ramjattan

May 10, 2012 News

 

Leader of the Alliance for Change, Khemraj Ramjattan, says that he will be supporting APNU on the motion to address the Presidential package that former President Bharrat Jagdeo is currently receiving.
The former President enjoys tax free exemption, free first class airfare, security guards, and gardeners among other things under the Former President’s (Benefits and Other Facilities) Act. Ramjattan yesterday said that they had lobbied for repeal of the Act and to have a body to determine what benefits he should get.
However, he said that they have decided to go with the motion by the APNU. He said that if the motion is approved a Select Committee would then determine what will be the President’s pension and other facilities and benefits. He further told the media that they are not calling for any repeal or reduction for his pension, but for the “Other facilities and benefits” to be addressed.
Ramjattan said that he wanted people to understand the difference between pension and “other facilities and benefits”. He explained that in 2004 an Act was passed for the President’s Pension Act, which would be seven-eighths of the salary of an existing president.
Ramjattan said that the current President Mr. Donald Ramotar gets about $1.4M a month free of tax. Seven-eighths of this sum would make Jagdeo earn a substantial pension.
However, he said that in 2009 after he was not allowed to run for a third term another law was passed, this was the President’s other facilities and Benefits Act. That Act, according to Ramjattan, outlined that gas, light and tax exemption would be free. He said that when these things are calculated it will show that the former president is enjoying some $3M.
“We suppose a former president might need a security guard, one clerical staff and probably a gardener…but what he is enjoying is uncapped; he’s getting about six or seven security guards, gardeners, which our economy at this state cannot afford,” Ramjattan  posited.
He said this should not happen, especially when regular old age pensioners are only getting $10,000 plus. And he is of working age. Ramjattan said that the opposition believes that his benefits are too much and too unlimited.

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