‘Politics is a gravy train in Guyana’ – Lincoln Lewis

Jun 09, 2026 News

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…slams govt. for restoring unlimited perks for former presidents

(Kaieteur News) – General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Lincoln Lewis, has launched a blistering attack on the government’s move to restore unlimited benefits for former presidents, describing the proposed legislation as “vulgar,” “unconscionable” and further proof that politics in Guyana has become “a gravy train.”

Lewis’ broadside comes days after the government tabled Bill No. 10 of 2026, seeking to repeal the Former Presidents’ Benefits Act of 2015 and restore the sweeping package of perks contained in the 2009 legislation.

The bill would once again grant former presidents unlimited state-funded benefits for life, including free electricity, water and telephone services, personal household staff, clerical and technical assistants, full medical coverage for themselves and dependent family members, security, state-maintained vehicles, toll-free road transportation, annual vacation allowances and tax exemptions identical to those enjoyed by a sitting president.

For Lewis, the timing and substance of the bill expose a troubling disconnect between Guyana’s political elite and the realities facing ordinary citizens.

“I stand by my statement in 2015 regarding the 2009 Former Presidents’ Benefits Act that politics in Guyana has become a gravy train,” Lewis declared. “The move by the Irfaan Ali/Bharrat Jagdeo regime to repeal the 2015 Former Presidents’ Benefits Act so they can return to unlimited benefits after leaving office is vulgar and unconscionable.”

The veteran trade unionist argued that while Guyana is celebrated internationally as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, the wealth generated from the country’s oil boom has failed to transform the lives of the majority of citizens.

“It is even more offensive when viewed against the reality that Guyana is today one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, yet two-thirds of our people remain poor and more than one-third live in absolute poverty,” he said.

Lewis was careful to distinguish between a pension and what he views as excessive privileges.

“The right to a pension is respected and is not the issue. Anyone who has served in the presidency is entitled to a pension,” he stated. “What remains offensive is the manner in which these leaders are ensuring that their post-presidency is as good as, or even better than, their actual tenure in office, and doing so at the expense of the taxpaying public.”

Government has defended the legislation, arguing that the 2015 amendments enacted by the APNU+AFC administration unfairly restricted benefits available to former heads of state. The Ministry of Finance said the new bill would restore a “single, predictable standard” for all former presidents and ensure they receive benefits reflecting the dignity of the office.

The ministry also criticised the 2015 law for limiting medical benefits to $200,000 annually and for allowing former presidents to lose benefits if they engaged in private business or paid employment.

But Lewis contends that the issue is not dignity. It is excess.

“The issue is not dignity after office. It is excess. It is entitlement. It is using public office to secure benefits that ordinary citizens can only dream about,” he said.

He noted that former presidents already receive substantial pensions and enjoy tax-free income while workers continue to shoulder the burden of taxation.

“The teacher pays taxes. The nurse pays taxes. The public servant pays taxes. The sugar worker pays taxes. The bauxite worker pays taxes,” Lewis said. “The ordinary people who create the wealth of this nation are taxed every month, yet they are being asked to fund unlimited benefits for a privileged political class.”

According to Lewis, the government’s priorities are badly misplaced at a time when workers continue to demand higher wages and relief from taxation.

“The trade union movement has repeatedly called for the removal of income tax on workers and the creation of a genuine welfare state with social programmes designed to lift people out of poverty,” he noted.

“Guyana has been producing oil for seven years. We boast about producing one million barrels of oil per day. We have a population of approximately 800,000 people, yet workers still cannot secure a decent wage.”

Cadillac lifestyle

Lewis accused the administration of constructing what he described as a “Cadillac lifestyle” for political leaders while many citizens remain trapped in conditions reminiscent of the country’s pre-oil economy.

“What we are witnessing is an attempt to create a Cadillac lifestyle on the backs of people who continue to live in what Cheddi Jagan described as a donkey-cart economy,” he said.

He painted a grim picture of daily life for many Guyanese, saying some families still struggle to afford basic necessities.

“Some cannot afford a tennis roll and can only eat if given credit. Some cannot afford a loaf of bread and must purchase a few slices at a time,” Lewis asserted.

Against that backdrop, he argued, the government’s proposal sends a damaging message.

“It says that while ordinary citizens struggle, those occupying the highest offices are ensuring their own comfort and security,” Lewis said. “It says that while healthcare remains inadequate for many Guyanese, former presidents must enjoy unlimited medical benefits and access to the best healthcare system in the world.”

Last week Opposition Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul also condemned the bill, describing the return to uncapped benefits as “unconscionable” and warning that it could open the door to abuse of state resources.

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• Lincoln Lewis, Politics, trade unionist, unlimited benefits for former presidents

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