The big question is when will we learn?

Dec 20, 2022 Letters

Dear Editor,

There are certain areas of activities that any sane and sensible Government would know that the Personnel identified should be competent and experienced.

Once a Government applies other criteria, we are on the downward slide to disaster. Last Saturday’s programme on Channel 6 (Voice of the People) at 12:30 p.m where I am a regular participant, several callers called seeking some explanation for Thursday’s incident at State House, the official residence of our Head-of-State. Before I comment further, I am glad that the President is safe and that no lives were lost and further, I wish the injured rank a speedy recovery.

As I did on Saturday’s programme, this incident exposes the stupid myopia driven by political short-sightedness of a Government cabal who in several areas seem unable to know the difference between what is right and wrong. If there had been proper procedures in place and more importantly proper training of personnel, this incident should not have taken place and I boast when I held office, such would have been unthinkable.

Imagine a person walking off the road and relieving a rank of a handgun and no one has yet been sent on leave. Preposterous! Today, the Ali administration has access to enormous sums of money, modern equipment such as cameras, sophisticated mobile phones, monitors, sensors and the whole works, not available in earlier times. The trouble dear fellow Guyanese is that the PPP Government seems obsessed or is it obliged to identify persons for important positions, whose qualifications rank in this order, cronies, supporters of the Party and their sycophants.

A retired Police Officer who I know to be a very affable and charming chap whose area of competence and experience is in Radio Communications has now been put in place of Security. Of course, he hails from the area of Mahaica, where Vice President Jagdeo comes from. It is unnecessary for me to say much more about this unfortunate incident, save to say, it may be the tip of the iceberg and we can name several other areas where the Government proclivity seems to be putting square pegs in round holes.

I understand that my good friend Captain Gerry Gouveia among others is supposed to advise the President on matters of security. I hope their advice will be taken and that the first task should be to define what security is.

The plethora of bodyguards, glaring sirens and pomp are not the principle elements of security. There is no substitute for intense training of persons who have previously passed the physical and psychological tests. I hope this is a wakeup call and I wish that the powers that be are serious about security, they ought to know by now where to go and who to ask for. I recall that an offer by both local and foreign forces to help with security were rebuffed.