PPP/C’s General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo was provided with full-time personal security while serving as Leader of the Opposition between 2015 and 2020 because he was a former president and therefore entitled to those benefits under the Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Act. This is a status that does not apply to the current Opposition Leader, Azruddin Mohamed.
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, clarified the distinction on Wednesday on the sidelines of the National Budget 2026 debates, as she moved to dispel what she described as misinformation being circulated by Mohamed about his benefits as a constitutional office holder.
She explained that the benefits enjoyed by a former president are separate and distinct from those attached to the office of the Leader of the Opposition.
“Mr Azruddin is not a former president and therefore is not entitled to the things that a former president would be entitled to,” Teixeira said.
According to the minister, Jagdeo’s personal security was not granted because he was Opposition Leader, but because the law guarantees former presidents full-time personal security and the services of the Presidential Guard Service at their residence.
Teixeira noted that Mohamed is entitled to and has been receiving the salary, benefits, allowances and entitlements of ministers, including security at his home, which is paid for by Parliament.
However, she stressed that this does not extend to personal or close-protection security.
“He’s not entitled to personal security. However, there is security at the office of the Leader of the Opposition whenever he designates the office,” she explained, adding that the rental threshold for that office is set by Parliament.
She further clarified that an Opposition Leader is not entitled to duty-free vehicles or an assigned vehicle under the law, though such concessions are available to members of the National Assembly.
“He has no entitlement to a vehicle assigned to him, no entitlement to close men. If he wishes to have that, he can hire them himself,” Teixeira said.
The minister criticised Mohamed for misleading the public and urged him to familiarise himself with the law before making claims of political persecution. (Modified from the Department of Public Information)
