Guyanese military are not to be used by this government to create fear – GTUC

Apr 17, 2015 News

---

The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) is calling on the People’s Progressive Party to stop its political fear campaign which is a threat to the peace of this nation.
The call comes in the wake of statements by Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon, that government is worried about the influx of former military personnel into political leadership, and the recent pronouncements by President Donald Ramotar in Bartica.
The GTUC is of the view that the positions taken by Luncheon and Ramotar are ominous signs that every Guyanese must condemn.
Both men, as well as Works Minister Robeson Benn had alluded to Guyana becoming a militarized state under an A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU +AFC) coalition government given the number of ex-military personnel who have thrown their support behind Presidential Candidate Brigadier (rtd) David Granger.
Only recently, previous Guyana Defence Force Chief of Staff Real Admiral (rtd) Gary Best dropped a bombshell when he came out and endorsed the opposition coalition.
According to the trade union umbrella body, any attack on the freedom of association and right to choice by any group of retired workers, regardless of which sector of the workforce they served in, is a threat to every senior citizen
“Guyanese should be aware of these dangerous signs coming from any government, particularly one which  from all evidence is bent on exercising total domination over all Guyana, where persons must live in fear of making choices outside of what the PPP government desires,” the GTUC said in a media statement.
The GTUC stated that the continued efforts to make Guyanese fearful of APNU +AFC based on the presence of military citizens, also casts unnecessary divisions between the people and the military, which from 1964 to 2015 has faithfully served and protected every Guyanese and the government of the day.
“It is our military who laid down their lives to protect the sovereignty of Guyana when Ankoko was invaded and there was a threat on the New River Triangle. It is the Guyanese military and Guyana Police Force which the PPP has used to quell the post-2002 jailbreak spate of criminality,” the GTUC said.
“It is the Guyana Police Force who protect the PPP’s privilege to govern and who ensure that citizens of this country abide by the law. They have done this even with limitations and efforts to undermine their performance as a professional security force.”
The GTUC said that the nation must be on guard and say “no more” especially when one listens to the PPP campaign, stoking fear and evoking racial sentiments.
According to the GTUC, a military political/alliance in a nation state is nothing unusual.
What is unusual, it stated, is when the government uses wanted criminals and drug dealers to fight crime.
“This nation is reminded that under the Jagdeo administration Ronald Gajraj, a former Lieutenant in the GDF served as Minister of Home Affairs and now Ambassador to Bangladesh.”
The GTUC noted that serving with distinction in the Ramotar regime is retired Major General Joe Singh who was appointed as a Special Advisor on 1st March 2013.
Prior to this appointment, Major General Singh, while serving as Chief of Staff, was courted by the then President and Leader of the Opposition to accept the appointment of Chairman of the Elections Commission, which he did and subsequently presided over the 2001 elections. He has since held a number of key positions in both the public and private sectors.
The GTUC said that there are many very senior former military and police officers giving professional service to the PPP government even as they denigrate the military in the opposition.
Among the most prominent ex-military officers serving in an official capacity right now, is retired Major Keith Lowenfield, Chief Elections Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
Backing up its claim, the GTUC noted that throughout the world, former military officers are represented among a nation’s most prestigious workers; the most trained and disciplined labour force. They contribute in and out of the military and are valued labour force.
Any talk therefore of militarisation under an APNU+AFC government by the PPP/C must therefore be matched with an evaluation of their own so called “militarisation” the GTUC said.
“It must be matched with and compared to international norms, for it is evident that military men and women holding political/ government office after retirement is nothing unusual. For instance, many U.S Presidents from George Washington to George Bush were former military officers. Many Secretaries of Defence, the equivalent of Minister of Defence /Home Affairs are persons of military training.  The position of U.S Secretary of State has also been selected from among former military trained officers,” the GTUC stated.

---

---