The military has
not protected citizens
Dear Editor,
During the era of PNC
rule, the military was heavily politicized. The PPP/C, when it came
to office in 1992, understood the dangers that a politicized military
posed and went about its dealings with sensitivity or, depending on how
you look at it, with obsequiousness, never failing to pay due respect to
the military and its alleged great work.
Two
'assholes', President Jagdeo (left) and
former Chief-of-Staff of the
Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Brigadier General Michael Atherly
(right)
During the period of PNC rule the military was routinely
brought out in the streets patrolling sugar
estates when there were strikes, patrolling the city when there
were demonstrations and, more
notoriously, collecting and holding ballot boxes after
elections.
At the present time there is no doubt about the
capability of the military. Its holding of several
men recently with high-powered
arms and equipment indicates
that it has all the skills and resources to do the same with the bandits
who are roaming the streets creating chaos and killing our policemen and
innocent citizens. Yet the military has
not displayed the same kind of keenness in capturing criminals and
defending the population.
The government of the PPP/C has no grounds to display
any confidence in the military and the expressions of support in the past
were misplaced. Now that the military has been put to the test it has
miserably failed the people of Guyana. Instead of capturing criminals in
Buxton, it is playing football. Instead
of protecting citizens, more and more people are being killed and
kidnapped in Buxton and the surrounding villages. Instead of
supporting policing groups it harasses them as in Non Pareil and Enmore.
The military should be removed from Buxton and expenditure on it should be
reduced in this year’s budget. The amount saved should be spent on our
intrepid policemen who are under manned, under equipped and underpaid.
Yours faithfully,
Rajesh Persaud