Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, on Friday tabled in the National Assembly the Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Bill 2026, which seeks to repeal the 2015 amendments and restore the earlier framework governing benefits for former Heads of State.
The bill will reinstate the system that was originally put in place in 2009 and replace what the Government described as the “flawed” 2015 enactment introduced by the APNU+AFC Coalition shortly after it took office.
The government said the move is intended to re-establish “a single, predictable standard” governing the benefits afforded to persons who have held the nation’s highest office.
Under the 2009 framework, former Presidents were entitled to benefits including payment of utility expenses at their residence, personal household staff, transportation, security, and free medical attention and coverage for themselves and their dependents.
The 2015 amendment introduced caps on several of those benefits, including a cap on medical coverage at $200,000 per year. It also stated that under the 2015 conditions, a former President could lose benefits if they engaged in private business, paid employment, or trade.
In defending the bill, the Minister said the restored framework would provide “a fair and equitable standard of dignity and support that every President of Guyana, past and future, rightfully deserves.”
He argued that such benefits reflect the continuing obligations of the presidency, including representational duties and security considerations that remain after a President leaves office.
Minister Singh added that a consistent framework, applied equally to all former Presidents, serves the country better than rules shaped by political considerations of a particular moment. The Government also reaffirmed its commitment to what it described as the responsible stewardship of public resources and to a benefits regime that is “clear, consistent, and worthy of the office it serves.”
