Govt to reverse APNU/AFC’s restrictions on past Presidents’ benefits

…Granger receiving benefits under 2009 legislation, not law his Administration introduced

The Guyana Government is moving to reverse restrictions imposed by the previous A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) on the benefits that are enjoyed by past Presidents.
According to the Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister, the amendments will be tabled via the Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Bill 2026 at the upcoming sitting of the National Assembly on Friday.
He reminded that back in 2009, the Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Act was successfully piloted by the then People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration.
“What the intention was then was simply to codify into law and make certain what benefits a former President ought to receive upon retirement,” the Attorney General explained during his weekly programme – Issues in the News – on Tuesday evening.
“What we did was simply capture what they were entitled to and what former Presidents were being paid up to that time, including [former Presidents] Arthur Chung and Mr Desmond Hoyte, but it was never in writing. So, what we sought to do in [2009] was to put it in writing.”
However, Nandlall recalled at the time there was pushback from the minority parliamentary opposition over the provisions of the Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Act, saying that they scandalised the legislation and used it as a political football.
Consequently, when the APNU+AFC Coalition took office in 2015 after securing the parliamentary majority, they amended the Act and added a series of restrictions.
This new bill, according to the AG, now seeks to repeal those amendments and largely reinstate the framework established under the 2009 Act. Nandlall contended the PPP/C Government’s position is that all former Presidents should receive the same standard package of benefits and facilities upon retirement.
In fact, he disclosed that former President under the APNU+AFC Coalition, David Granger, is currently receiving benefits under the 2009 legislation and not the amended law his administration introduced.
Nandlall pointed out that the 2015 amendments by the Coalition regime sought to restrict the benefits that the former Presidents at the time – Samuel Hinds, Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar – were receiving. However, he noted that the Act does not operate retrospectively.
“The Act operates prospectively, so what they intended to do, they did not achieve… In any event, President Granger is benefiting from the [2009] legislation. The 2015 legislation never applied to him. He gets everything that the 2010 legislation spoke about… All the facilities that are in that [2009] legislation is what he enjoys.”
“So, to bring normalcy to the situation, we have decided to repeal the 2015…APNU/AFC law and to bring back into force the [2009] Former President (Benefits and Other Facilities) Bill. We made minor changes because that, we believe, is the standard that all Presidents should receive… President Granger received it, President Hoyte received it, President Arthur Chung received it, President Ramotar is receiving it, President Jagdeo is receiving it, President Sam Hinds is receiving it.
Why should future Presidents not get the same package?” AG Nandlall emphasised.

Guyana Development Bank Bill
Meanwhile, this Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Bill 2026 is among six important pieces of legislation that are slated to be tabled in the National Assembly and read for the first time during Friday’s sitting.
Key among these is the Guyana Development Bank Bill, which would establish a specialised financial institution to improve access to financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Nandlall explained that the Development Bank will target groups that previously encountered difficulties in securing loans and finances from traditional lenders such as commercial banks due to the collateral requirements, high interest rates and other conditions.
“This development bank is intended to address that class of persons and those issues that those persons confront, which have prevented them from accessing easy finances. This development bank is specifically designed to target the small and medium-sized businesses or intended businesses – the small furniture manufacturer, the small poultry or cash crop farmer, the person who wants to start a small restaurant, a person who may wish to start a small day care facility, a person who may wish to start a small fabricating business or start a small contracting firm. These are the categories, and this is not an exhaustive list, obviously, but these are the small businesses that this initiative is intended to assist,” he explained.
The proposed state-run institution will offer loans of up to $3 million, interest-free and without collateral. It will also provide technical support, including help with business plans, loan applications and project proposals.
Moreover, the Development Bank will also operate as a bridge to give beneficiaries who expand their businesses access to a second loan from commercial banks of up to $10 million.
This initiative will fulfil a key PPP/C 2025 manifesto promise and is intended to support small businesses in agriculture, manufacturing, services, transportation and retail.
The other legislations to be tabled include the Hire Purchase (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to remove uncertainty over whether disputes should be heard in the High Court or Magistrates’ Courts; and the Depreciating Property Sale Order Bill, which would allow authorities to seek court approval to sell assets seized during criminal investigations or proceedings before they lose significant value.
Additionally, the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill is seeking to update Guyana’s sexual offences laws more than a decade after the principal act was enacted to include new provisions such as the establishment of a Sex Offenders Registry for the first time, while the Security Interests in Movable Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill will improve commercial transactions and legal certainty.