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Stop criminalizing our youths for wanting a change

Mar 11, 2014 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
This action against some Guyanese, even though the Guyana Defence Force acted in accordance with the directives of the military court, MUST BE tempered with human kindness. As far as I know, the law MUST be tempered with mercy and the judiciary should see the other side of the coin!
A while back, I saw that three young, underprivileged youths were jailed for three years each. These are possible scenarios; a young Guyanese just out of school is looking for gainful employment to sustain his or her family or some other age group not employed sees and admires the screen saver of the GDF. The Guyana Defence Force is seen a viable option; that person applies, passes the recruitment interview and subsequent background checks. They are trained, survive the rigours of induction and are successful.
Now this is a proud enlisted member of the Guyana Defence Force, who is deemed by all and sundry as a military person but is subjected to Military Law, in accordance with the Defence Act, Chapter 15:01 of the Guyana Constitution.
If for some reason this free, law-abiding citizen, who sought and got gainful employment from the Guyana Defence Force, decides that this “Wuk” is not to their liking, and “leaves the work without authorization”. A problem now arises and their actions are now deemed by the army as AWOL. When caught, they are arrested in accordance of Section 178 of the Defence Act which stipulates their detention.  After they are court-martialed and found guilty, lo and behold this former law-abiding citizen’s life is now destroyed, because now we have cast into society a convicted felon, and he cannot ever do right in the eyes of society or ever get another proper job.
This is peace time and one should have the right to refuse continued employment with any entity; even the army. Imagine, if all the persons that have left my employ for greener pastures without sending in their resignations are criminalized by being sent to jail for three years! Employers do not fire good employees and employees do not leave jobs they are comfortable in.
Could the illustrious Brig. General, Mr. Mark Philips, please take the necessary steps to repeal or temper this law? Let them serve the 21 or 42 days, in the military prison and be dishonourably discharged.  It is unfair and bordering on a slave master’s mentality, to inflict the punishment of three years in a civilian prison. This was handed down to persons who were once free proud Guyanese. These individuals should be allowed to make a choice. If they “don’t want the wuk”, they should be allowed to leave in peace and struck off strength, not turned into a criminal for life.
I was told of the hardship and “punishment”, one, would endure when they voice their disapproval to “orders”.  What is acceptable to one individual will be intolerable to another free, proud Guyanese.
History has shown that a disgruntled brooding employee is very dangerous. ‘Full Metal Jacket’, a fictional movie comes to mind. After an announced absence of three days, an employee would have been deemed to have left the job in accordance of the Labour Laws of Guyana.
Remember the old Guyanese proverb “Come see meh and live with meh, is two completely different thing” and “Once a soldier twice a civilian”.
I was inducing my last son to join the Officer Corps and follow tradition but decided against it, after seeing the justice of the Guyana Defence Force.  The Guyana Defence Force missed out on a future officer that would have made Guyana proud!
The Guyana Defence Force’s screen saver and the real programme are completely two different environments. I know, I was in there and it was tolerable then.
Former member of the GDF Officer Corps, Air Command

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