Citizens, opposition protest ‘obscene’ Former Presidents Bill

Jul 07, 2026 News

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By Khadidja Ba

(Kaieteur News) – Former APNU+AFC MP Annette Ferguson, and Working People’s Alliance (WPA) executive member and activist Kidackie Amsterdam led a protest on Tuesday to decry the proposed Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Bill, calling it an “abuse of national resources” and a “show of selfishness” by the administration.

The bill, which seeks to repeal amendments made by the previous APNU+AFC government and restore the framework of the 2010 legislation, would grant former presidents uncapped benefits, including fully funded household staff, unlimited utility payments, and lifetime tax exemptions.

‘An abuse of citizens’

Protestors, who gathered at the Church of God Road in Buxton, East Coast Demerara, argued that while former heads of state deserve a dignified retirement, the 2026 bill goes beyond reason.

“I am not saying presidents are not entitled to a decent way of life after leaving the seat,” Amsterdam stated during the protest on Monday in Buxton, which was broadcast via social media on his KamsTV page and Demerara Waves. “What I have a problem with is excesses. This bill is an abuse of our resources, an abuse of the majority in the National Assembly, and an abuse of the citizens of this country.”

Amsterdam drew attention to the financial disparity between the benefits afforded to former leaders and the struggles of ordinary retirees. He noted that while former presidents receive a pension amounting to seven-eighths of a sitting president’s salary, estimated at over $2 million monthly, along with perks, retired public servants receive a fraction of that amount while bearing the full cost of their own utilities and medical care. “Former public servants have given to this country, in many instances, way more than former presidents,” Amsterdam argued. “Yet they are left to survive on $46,000 monthly.” KN understands another protest will take place outside the Office of the President Tuesday.

The 150-Acre farm controversy

The protest also highlighted recent allegations surrounding a 150-acre farm on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway reportedly owned by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali. Protesters and opposition figures said if the bill passes in its current form, the state would effectively subsidise the operational costs of this multi-billion-dollar private estate.

“If you have a former president with this multi-billion-dollar farm employing scores of people, and they are being paid from the coffers of this state, while he is reaping all of the benefits tax-free, that is an obscenity,” Amsterdam said.

Ferguson meanwhile urged citizens to remain vigilant. “I believe once people become aware of what this bill is likely to do and the impact it will have on our treasury, more Guyanese will push back,” Ferguson stated.

Taxpayers to feel the brunt of the bill

The protest coincided with a scathing video address by the leader of the opposition, who formally called for President Ali’s immediate resignation. The opposition leader alleged that the 2026 bill is a targeted effort by the president to secure a lavish lifestyle at the expense of taxpayers before his constitutionally mandated two terms conclude.

Mohamed further alleged that the government is attempting to “cook the books” regarding the financing of the President’s farm, casting doubt on claims that the project was funded entirely through legitimate bank loans. A major portion of Mohamed’s statement focused on the mechanics of the 2026 former presidents benefit bill, which he labeled “repulsive,” “obscene,” and “greedy.” He explained to the public that the current administration calls for Parliament to resume for only one of two reasons: either to approve additional funding for large, corrupt deals after squandering previously passed allocations, or to pass predatory legislation like this specific benefit bill. Mohamed emphasized that the proposed amendments are meticulously engineered to benefit just two specific individuals in the entire country, current President Irfan Ali and former President turned Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, placing an additional lifetime burden on the backs of taxpayers to fund a “lavish lifestyle of unlimited spending.”

To illustrate the financial gravity of the bill, Mohamed detailed a list of specific, uncapped provisions that he claimed would allow these officials to “live like Maharajas.” He noted that the legislation demands unlimited state payments for residential water, electricity, and telephone services, alongside full-time personal security, Presidential Guard services, and state-maintained motor vehicles. It also guarantees free lifetime medical treatment or full reimbursement for dependents, a permanent household staff including a gardener and an attendant, clerical and technical staff upon request, toll-free road transportation throughout the country, and an annual vacation allowance equivalent to the cost of two first-class return airfares.

Mohamed provided concrete examples of how these clauses would translate into massive public expenditures, stating that if the electricity bill for a sprawling ranch totals $100 million for the year, ordinary citizens will be legally forced to pay it. He specifically cited a man-made circuit creek constructed at President Ali’s estate at an estimated cost of $60 million, noting that taxpayers would be saddled with its ongoing maintenance. He also criticized the ambiguity of the term “residence” in the new bill, pointing out that unlike the clearer 2015 law which specified a single “habitual place of residence,” the 2026 version fails to define whether taxpayers are expected to fund multiple luxury homes owned by a single former president.

The most “vulgar request” of the new bill, according to the opposition leader, is the granting of tax-exempt status for life. Mohamed warned that this provision would create a crisis of unfair competition that could completely drive ordinary local farmers, cash crop growers, fishermen, and independent business owners out of business. Because a former president could import heavy business machinery, specialized equipment, vehicles, livestock, and building materials without paying a single cent in duties or taxes, down to a single screw or even a private jet, they could operate a multi-billion-dollar commercial agricultural investment entirely tax-free while standard citizens struggle to survive.

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• APNU, Former Presidents Bill, WPA

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