Dear Editor,
It’s an outrage! Our parliamentary representatives continue to abuse the privilege entrusted to them by the electorate, and show gross disregard for the taxpayers. The Former Presidents Bill is a travesty and should be reversed forthwith, for the simple reason that it is unjust and Guyanese cannot afford it.
In 2011 when President Jagdeo leaves office he will be 47 years old. The average life expectancy for a Guyanese male is 65 years. Using that figure the total cost of Mr Jagdeo’s pension to the taxpayers could be $216M. Because this is a non-taxable income Mr Jagdeo gives nothing back to the society that funds his post-presidential extravagance. In addition to the taxpayers possibly having to pay $216M in pension, we also will have to pay for the remainder of Mr Jagdeo’s life, unlimited telephone and electricity bills; personal, household, field and administrative staff; medical expenses for himself and dependants; security for his person and residence; motor vehicles owned and maintained by the state; toll-free travel in Guyana; and annual vacation allowance.
There is no stipulation as to where Mr Jagdeo can access medical care or the maximum amount to be paid for such care. The super pension free from income tax, lifetime security and other financial burdens will be met by the taxpayers who cannot even afford basic necessities for themselves after having to pay 33.3 % in PAYE, 16 % VAT, vehicle taxes, tolls, rent, and rates and taxes on incomes that are not even a tenth of Mr Jagdeo’s proposed monthly pension, much less the other super entitlements. For instance, if Mr Jagdeo wants to go to the best hospital in the world, the taxpayers will have to fund it while local public hospitals await upgrading and many patients cannot afford local private care, much less treatment overseas.
No other former president in the world has the package Guyana will pay Mr Jagdeo come 2011! Guyana ranks among the poorest countries in the world. The disputed unemployment rate is more than 9 per cent and growing. Corruption is widespread and growing, with Guyana ranking 126th out of 180 countries in the Transparency International’s Corruption Index. We have the most government ministers in the region, and the weakest dollar. These are the economic realities in which we live and which will sustain Mr Jagdeo’s princely lifestyle post office.
The world’s largest economy, the USA, which is also among the richest, does not pay its former presidents such a package. Currently some of the benefits/entitlements former US presidents enjoy are a taxable pension equivalent to that of the head of an executive department (Executive Level I), which is a slash in income by more than half; medical care by military hospitals, and an option to contribute to a federally funded health plan; office staff with stipulated pay; and security for 10 years.
Yours faithfully,
M A Bacchus
