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Nothing should stop competent former military officers from getting state jobs – Granger
By Abena Rockcliffe- Campbell
“We want good cats,” said President David Granger as he explained his position on public appointments.
President David Granger
The President has been accused on several occasions, and from several critics, of favouring former military officers. However, on the Public Interest, Granger clarified that he appoints those who he sees as fit for the job.
Further, Granger noted that he is not making history in appointing former GDF officers to do state work. He said that his predecessors, Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar appointed former military officers. Granger basically said that the real problem is not the appointment of former military officers, but the appointment of former military officers by a former military officer.
The President told reporters, “You can ask (former) President Jagdeo and President Ramotar why they appointed Major General (Joseph) Singh to his present position; why they appointed Colonel Chabilall Ramsarup to the CDC (Civil Defence Commission); why they appointed, Colonel Brassington Reynolds as a Judge; why they appointed Colonel (Jawahar) Persaud as Accountant General; and you can go through an entire list of people.”
He said that when he assumed Presidential Office in May 2015 there were about 10 Officers who were appointed by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) administration.
“These are human beings, people with skills; they are not a separate breed of citizens. We cannot deprive them of their rights. If they have the talent, the experience, the qualifications why not (give them positions)?” President Granger asked.
He went further to note that he does not and will not discriminate against former military officers “and obviously Jagdeo and Ramotar did not discriminate against them, because I inherited a large number of former military officers who have been appointed by the PPP administration.”
The President said that he does not see anything wrong with “asking a Colonel here or Brigadier there to do a Commission of Inquiry. The question is, are they competent to do it?”
Granger then quoted an old saying that goes “it doesn’t matter if it is a black cat or a white cat, if it catches the rat, it is a good cat.” He then said, “We want good cats.”
Granger reiterated that appointments are made based on competence.
“No one criticized when the PPP appointed them, why criticize when I do.”
The President said that he was due to make some criticism when an army officer was taken out of the force to become a Minister within the PPP/C government.
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Sir. Ronald Sanders
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Mr President, the same could be said of retired public servants. These like the military personnel have all given valuable service and have accumulated tremendous expertise. You have to come up with a better reason