Govt. fails to disclose post 2011 spending on Jagdeo

May 17, 2014 News

The National Assembly met on Thursday and while the Government provided a number of answers to questions posed by members of the opposition it failed to give any answers in relation to queries on the expenditure it would have made on former President Bharrat Jagdeo, since he demitted office in 2011.

Finance Minister
Dr. Ashni Singh

Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman, at the beginning of the session yesterday confirmed that the answers had not been provided but did indicate an optimism that it would be at some point in time.
Checks with the Parliamentary staff during the sitting revealed that the answers would not have been provided during that sitting since they were not in receipt of any.
A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU), Desmond Trotman, had tabled the queries to the Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh for a response.
The political opposition has always been critical of what it calls uncapped benefits encapsulated in the Former Presidents (Benefits and Facilities) which in May 2009, the then President Bharrat Jagdeo assented to.
Trotman wanted to find out what is the total health expenses/claims met under the Act for former President Jagdeo and or his dependents for each month since he demitted office in 2011, up to the end of February.
Jagdeo recently was the subject of screaming headlines when he chartered a private Lear Jet to fly to Florida where he went for treatment of Dengue Fever.
Checks later disclosed that when he was airlifted to the Florida hospital, he had in his entourage his best friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop and that they used a private luxury Learjet instead of an air ambulance.
Air ambulances are planes or helicopters that have been specially fitted with medical equipment and beds and would also include medical personnel accompanying the aircraft to treat the passenger as they are taken to the hospital.
The jet was charted from Jedami Aircraft Charter, LLC, registered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
This publication understands that the chartering of a Lear Jet, from Florida to Guyana and back for a medivac, would cost between US$35,000 and US$40,000.
APNU was also seeking to find out what is the monthly cost of providing security for personal and property(s) under the Act for former President Jagdeo since he demitted office in 2011 to the end of February, 2014.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

APNU is also seeking to elicit answers in relation to the cost of providing transportation local and overseas, inclusive of cars and drivers, including air cost and road under the Act for the former President and or his dependents for each month since he demitted office in 2011 to the end of February 2014.
The coalition is also seeking to find out what is the electricity charge paid under the Act for former President Jagdeo, for each month since he demitted office to February 2014.
On May 28, 2009, then President Jagdeo assented to the controversial Former President’ (Benefits and Facilities) Bill, bringing it into law.
Under that Act, he would receive free medical attention and medical treatment, paid for by the state, or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred by him for the medical attention or treatment of himself and the dependant members of his family.
During his term in office, Jagdeo initiated many controversial projects, among them the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Project, the Marriott Hotel project, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion Project and the failed Skeldon Modernisation Project.

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