Give working class more money before uncapping former presidents benefits – Buxton-Foulis NDC Chairman

Last Updated on Monday, 6 July 2026, 22:25 by Writer

Ordinary Guyanese should get steep increases in pensions, salaries and other benefits in exchange for government passing legislation to give former presidents unlimited benefits and tax exemptions, Chairman of the Buxton-Foulis Neighbourhood Democratic Council Walston Martins said Sunday.

Mr Martins, who was among about one dozen protesters on the Buxton Public Road against moves by the government to pass legislation for former presidents to get unlimited benefits and tax-free status, said he would only support approval of the Bill if the government gives public servants GY$400,000 after-tax, GY$120,000 cash grant for school children, GY$100,000 for old age pension and free land to each adult and ensure roads and bridges are constructed to a high standard.

“If you want this bill to pass, I don’t have a problem but ensure that these things that I spoke about are given before and then you can pass the Bill. Apart from that, we are not going to support the Bill because the Bill is ridiculous in its entirety,” he told Demerara Waves Online News.

Stressing that he is not an economist, Mr Martins did not believe that his suggested increases would trigger inflation and further spiralling of cost of living.

If approved, the Bill would replace the 2015 Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Act that was passed by the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition.

That law, which still remains in effect, caps the financing of water, electricity and telephone charges at GY$25,000 each and limits the number of assigned vehicles, security and staff as well as medical expenses.

That law also prohibits former presidents from getting those benefits if they are engaged in a business or trade for profit.

The 2026 Bill, which effectively returns to the already repealed 2009 law passed under the Bharrat Jagdeo administration, does not specify any limits and removes prohibition of benefits if they are gainfully employed.

That would be on top of their more than GY$2 million monthly pension.

Those, who currently stand to benefit, are former presidents Jagdeo, Samuel Hinds, Donald Ramotar and David Granger.

In contrast to Mr Martins, Working People’s Alliance executive member Kidackie Amsterdam and People’s National Congress Reform member Annette Ferguson are advocating for the 2026 Bill to be quashed altogether.

Estimating that the uncapped benefits would cost the treasury GY$100 million to GY$200 million annually, Mr Amsterdam said that money could be diverted to ease the burden of the high cost of living on old age pensioners who currently receive GY$46,000 monthly.

Mr Amsterdam said Sunday’s protest was not all and he would be shortly organising a panel discussion to whip up more public support that could eventually lead to large turnouts to pressure the government into rescinding the legislation.

“If we start the process of awareness…people are becoming aware, people are becoming involved in the conversation and that might not necessarily reflect itself here today in terms of the number of people on the ground… Somebody has to start the ball rolling and I am saying we have started the ball rolling,” he said.

He also feared that the incumbent president Irfaan Ali would cash in on tax exemptions from his farm off the Linden-Soesdyke Highway.

“This is a farm that will generate multimillion dollar profits but yet not a blind cent would be paid as taxes to this nation but billions of dollars will be taken out of the coffers of this nation to maintain his benefits,” he said.

Asked what made her confident that protests like the one on Sunday would force the government not to go ahead with using its simple parliamentary majority to pass the bill, Ms Ferguson said a lot would depend on awareness of Guyanese about the impact on the treasury.

“I believe that more Guyanese will become aware as to the issue at hand and try to push back so once they get that kind of push back, I don’t see the government proceeding with the Bill,” she said.

Referring to the President’s reported 150-acre farm, she believed that would create added impetus for Guyanese.