Notice has been served by Parliament Office that APNU MP Carl Greenidge will be asking Finance Minister Ashni Singh whether the regulations for the former presidents benefits Act have been presented to Parliament.
The extent of the benefits and the length of time over which they will be provided to former President Bharrat Jagdeo and other former presidents have evoked public consternation and calls for the measures to be amended.
Last month, Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon declined to say whether President Jagdeo had begun to benefit from the Act. The opposition has made it clear that it will be moving to amend some of the more extravagant provisions of the Act.
Greenidge’s question to be asked at an upcoming session of Parliament is as follows: “Would the Minister inform this House whether he has presented to the National Assembly the regulations under which the provisions of the ‘Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Act of 2009’ are to be given effect and, if so, when this was done?” Several of the benefits in the Act come without limits and the regulations may possible seek to precisely define them.
