Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira has disputed claims by Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed that he has not received benefits guaranteed under law, even as statutory provisions and parliamentary records point to entitlements attached to the constitutional office.
Under the Leader of the Opposition (Benefits and Other Facilities) Act of 2010, the office holder is entitled to a range of benefits, including rent-free furnished office accommodation; medical attention for himself and dependent family members; full-time police security at his residence and office; and support staff comprising a research assistant, executive assistant or secretary, clerical assistant, chauffeur, personal security officer, gardener and two domestic servants. The Act also provides for salary, vacation allowance and parliamentary benefits equivalent to those of a Cabinet Minister.
Mohamed told the media earlier this week that since his election as Leader of the Opposition, he has received none of the benefits outlined in the Act. He also stated that he has not been provided with a government vehicle.
In response, Teixeira said Mohamed is not entitled to a personal vehicle under the legislation. However, political analysts have questioned that position, noting that the Leader of the Opposition holds ministerial equivalence under the Act and, like Cabinet ministers, should be assigned a state vehicle from the government fleet.
One analyst described the position as inconsistent, arguing that while Mohamed may separately be entitled to purchase a duty-free vehicle as a parliamentarian, that does not negate the obligation of the state to assign an official vehicle appropriate to the office. “If he chooses not to use it, that is his decision, but there is no justification for not offering a state vehicle, or for offering one that is inferior to what senior ministers receive,” the analyst said.
Teixeira also stated that Mohamed is not entitled to personal security. However, the Act provides for full-time police security at the official residence and office of the Leader of the Opposition, a provision that has raised further questions about the interpretation being applied.
Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs said budgetary proposals for the Office of the Leader of the Opposition were submitted based on the previous year’s allocation, with only a nominal increase. In 2025, the Committee of Supply approved $32.5 million for the office. Isaacs noted that arrangements for benefits and facilities for constitutional officeholders fall under the authority of the Speaker of the National Assembly and are implemented in accordance with parliamentary procedures.
Mohamed, however, maintains that none of the benefits attached to the office have been activated since his election on January 26. In an interview with Village News, he said he has received no security detail, is being paid the salary of a regular Member of Parliament rather than that of Leader of the Opposition, and has not been afforded any of the statutory entitlements.
The Leader of the Opposition benefits should have taken effect immediately upon his election, given the constitutional nature of the office and its role within both the legislative and governance framework of the state.
