Sums expended to cater to former president Bharrat Jagdeo under the 2009 Former Presidents (Benefits and other Facilities) Act are not excessive, PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee said yesterday.
Responding to a question posed by Stabroek News at the party’s weekly media briefing at Freedom House, Rohee said there will always be objections to the former president’s benefits.
Asked if the amount of money being spent was not against the frugal principles of the party’s founder Cheddi Jagan, he stated: “I would leave that to the so-called political pundits to speculate on, I am not getting into that.”
He added: “This is a matter for the party to study and internalise on.”
He said: “We…the current leaders of the PPP supported the bill in the Parliament in respect to the president’s pensions and benefits, we did that and we consciously did that in the parliament. Every single MP supported that.” Rohee also pointed out that Moses Nagamootoo, a former PPP member and now vice chairman of the Alliance for Change, was inclusive of those who sat on the government’s side and support the Act.
“One has to be certain and take clearly into account that the money was not illegitimately spent, not illegally spent, and not spent outside of what was provided by the Parliament,” he said. He stressed that any spending under the Act was done in accordance with the law and was authorised by the Parliament.
It was revealed last week that the state has paid over $45.5 million in expenses for Jagdeo in the 27 months since he left office.
According to the breakdown, over the period, security for Jagdeo cost $20.3 million, transportation $15.2 million and electricity $9.8 million. While there were no expenses listed under health for the former president, his transportation for the month of February was $7.5 million. This was the month when he was flown to the US on a private jet for medical treatment, and the figure appears to include the cost for the medivac. No explanations were provided with the expenses.
The Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Act has been highly controversial as critics say it contains benefits which are extravagant and cannot be afforded by the country. An acrimonious battle on this ended with the opposition forcing through a bill in Parliament to cap the benefits on January 25, 2013. President Donald Ramotar has refused to sign it.
On Sunday the Trades Union Congress (TUC) called Jagdeo’s pension plan a “Cadillac lifestyle”. The TUC stated that “It is unconscionable …that any person entrusted the privilege of the people to manage their affairs to reward themselves with a Cadillac lifestyle in this donkey cart economy. It is an abuse of the taxpayer’s money and their trust.”
Details on Jagdeo’s expenses were circulated in Parliament in response to questions which had been submitted several months ago by APNU MP Desmond Moses.
