The PNCR on Saturday said a Lexus vehicle being used by former President David Granger was assign-ed to him in accordance with the Former Presidents (Benefits and other Facilities) Act
The PNCR was responding to remarks made by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Friday over a vehicle being used by Granger.
Congress Place cited the remarks by Jagdeo published in the state-owned Guyana Chronicle newspaper dated Saturday 3rd October 2020 headlined `Granger exited office with $35.2M Lexus’.
The PNCR said that it wished to make it clear that Granger is entitled only to benefits and facilities which are in accordance with the Former Presi-dents (Benefits and other Facilities) Act. These include the provision of “…not more than two motor vehicles maintained by the state.” The PNCR said that these conditions are identical to those provided to former presidents Samuel Hinds, Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar.
“Mr Granger was assigned a motor vehicle which remains part of a reserve fleet of state-owned motor cars. The fleet’s vehicles were used for of the ceremonial inauguration convoy of President Irfaan Ali and state and official visits of President Akufo-Addo of Ghana; Prime Ministers Ralph Gonsalves, Keith Mitchell, Mia Mottley, Keith Rowley, and Roosevelt Skerritt of the Caribbean Community and some members of the delegation accompanying Secretary of State Michael Pompeo of the USA, among others.
“The vehicle to which Vice-President Jagdeo referred could have been assigned for Mr Granger’s use only by the Office of the President. It is the property of the Government of Guyana. It is not private property. It could be withdrawn at any time at the discretion and on the direction of the President and replaced with another in accordance with the Former Presidents (Benefits and other Facilities) Act”, the PNCR said.
Questions are likely to be raised as to why such an expensive vehicle was purchased for the use of the former Ministry of the Presidency.
