PPP, opposition clash over president’s multi-million dollar pension

By Stabroek News On In Guyana News |
An aerial view of what the opposition parties say is President Bharrat Jagdeo’s mansion under construction at the ‘Pradoville 2’ housing scheme, which has been featured in campaign ads. The president’s retirement benefits are being highlighted by the opposition, which says they are extravagant and an insult to the country’s working class. The PPP has, however, accused the parties of misrepresenting the president’s benefits.
An aerial view of what the opposition parties say is President Bharrat Jagdeo’s mansion under construction at the ‘Pradoville 2’ housing scheme, which has been featured in campaign ads. The president’s retirement benefits are being highlighted by the opposition, which says they are extravagant and an insult to the country’s working class. The PPP has, however, accused the parties of misrepresenting the president’s benefits.

The pension that President Bharrat Jagdeo will earn upon demitting office has become a hot topic on the election campaign trail for the opposition parties and the incumbent PPP/C is not happy at what it says are the lies and misrepresentations on the matter.

The PPP, in a release on Friday, accused members and leaders of the AFC of “making false and libelous statements aimed at the good reputation of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the PPP/C government”. Further, the PPP criticized the AFC for an advertisement it aired regarding the President’s pension benefits. The advertisement in question, Stabroek News was told, is a 10-second ad which says that the President will earn a pension of $3 million monthly, while ordinary citizens of pensionable age receive $7,500 per month.

According to the PPP, the AFC advertisement “grossly misrepresents the pension benefits of the president and is intended only to mislead the people of Guyana”. The party also indicated that