PRIME Minister Moses Nagamootoo has said there should be a review of the draft legislation in the name of Prime Minister Hamilton Green, Bill No.23 of 2016, which seeks to provide pension benefits and other facilities to Green, who served as the country’s Prime Minister from 1985 to 1992 in the People’s National Congress (PNC) Administration.The Prime Minister has said that, in retrospect, the Bill probably should not have been named after Green, but should instead have been the Former Prime Ministers’ Pension Bill. “It may be an issue we would want to re-look at, as to why (the bill has been named) ‘Hamilton Green Pension’, and not Former Prime Ministers’ Pension Bill,” he said, noting that a broader rubric would allow for a futuristic legislation, rather than attempting to correct an anomaly.

The Prime Minister made it clear that when the matter was discussed at the level of Cabinet, he was not aware that the draft legislation was scripted under Green’s name. “We were dealing with an issue,” he told reporters on Friday during a press conference at the AFC headquarters in Kitty.

Green, who also served as Mayor of the City of Georgetown, is the lone surviving Prime Minister. Former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds currently receives a former President’s pension and benefits, as he served as President just after former President Cheddi Jagan died in 1997.

“I believe that the issue has to be seen in a context — both a historical context and a peculiar context. The peculiar context is that there is only one former prime minister that is available for any benefit, (and) that’s Hamilton Green. The issue from the historical context is that if someone held the office of the Prime Minister and the person continues to be alive, you couldn’t give that person the pension of a Member of Parliament. What he is getting there is (the) pension of a Member of Parliament,” the Prime Minister explained.

He argued that there must be equity in the system, and noted that looking at the situation from a “justice point of view”, it is unfair for a former prime minister to receive the pension of a parliamentarian.

“It requires the creation of a law for the first time to deal with that peculiar situation of one prime minister hanging out there on a pension that is not a prime minister’s pension,” he added, while noting the mounting criticisms on the legislation.

According to the prime minister, statements made by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo criticizing Government’s move should not be taken seriously, as in 2010, under his stewardship, a law was created in the National Assembly for the Leader of the Opposition to receive a pension. At that time, former leader of the PNC, Robert Corbin, was Opposition Leader. “I don’t see (why), if a former Government can provide for pension for people in certain office, why (you won’t) want to provide for pension for a former prime minister,” he said, also pointing to the Former Presidents’ Benefits and other Facilities Act, where uncapped facilities and allowances are provided for. That legislation has since been amended.

“You found it convenient to award certain presidents enhanced benefits, and suddenly you picked on one person and think it is sleaze and inappropriate that a former prime minister should receive benefits,” said the Prime Minister in response to statements made by Jagdeo.

The Prime Minister also said that the creation of a pension for prime ministers must be in keeping with a formula that has been applied in computing pensions for presidents on the basis of existing salaries.

“This is not going to take effect from 1985, when Mr. Green held the position of prime minister; it would take effect from the date of its passage in the National Assembly,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister also disclosed that representation has been made to Cabinet for the adjustment of the pensions of those parliamentarians who have survived since independence and are still getting pension based on their salaries at the time they served.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has urged citizens to desist from being bitter. He said: “This nation has to be able to put aside its own bitterness, (which) has contaminated all of us and become part of our political culture of hate and being judgmental and being angry when we deal with people who have held offices in this country…

“We must keep the politics out from rational decisions,” he admonished.

Notwithstanding the political postures assumed, it must be recognised that Green was once the country’s Prime Minister, Mr. Nagamootoo said.

“Therefore, I believe this is a once-for-all piece of legislation, because we couldn’t do it otherwise: allow him to enjoy the pension of the prime minister,” he declared.