…the good, ole Burnham state
Right after the PNC-led Government under Brigadier (rtd) David Granger took office, he announced he would continue the “legacy” of the Founder-Leader Burnham, whose shoes he’d slipped into as Leader of the PNC. Not long after, he announced the Disciplined Forces would be reloaded (no pun intended). This was not coincidental! The GDF would be enlarged, the GPF would be boosted by another 1,500 recruits, the People’s Militia would be re-launched, and ditto for the Cadet Corps. He didn’t say anything about the National Service…but maybe he’s just waiting to have the other units in place.
Now, some may think that with Granger being a military man, and because to a hammer everything’s a nail, he was just doing what he knows best. But his action goes beyond that. The Military explosion under Burnham was a carefully-thought-out plan by Burnham; who, like the Haitian despot Dessalines, believed that the society was “too soft,” and needed to be “disciplined” — by any means necessary. And now you know they’re called “Guyana’s DISCIPLINED Forces”!
With Guyana having the highest civilian- armed forces ratio in the world – 1:32, Burnham expected these forces would discipline the rest of society. Granger was the young officer who was placed in charge of ensuring the rest of the army – including the traditional officers the British had left – get with his programme. Of course, as the economy collapsed and PNC supporters fell on hard times — where PPP supporters had always been – Burnham turned the Disciplined Forces into a pacification force! Walter Rodney was a victim of that pacification.
Now back to the present, where Gail Texeira tried to ask in Parliament: since the Government had been spending the people’s money to launch the People’s Militia, what was “the criteria and methodology of recruitment of persons into the People’s Militia; the number of persons who have been recruited into the People’s Militia in the last two years; the means by which those persons have been recruited, whether via public advertisement in the media, in social media, or by any other means.”
The Speaker of course denied the request, since it wasn’t “important” enough, in his unbiased opinion, to be asked without the arcane formalities. But we hope Texeira isn’t holding her breath waiting to have the question answered. Did Burnham ever reveal what he was doing with HIS Disciplined Forces? Why should Granger? Your Eyewitness is sure Texeira saw reports in the newspapers about members of the People’s Militia in “march past” activities in Georgetown, New Amsterdam and Linden.
Weren’t the optics – as presented in the pics – sufficient to give her the answers she was seeking??
…teachers’ dignity
On Labour Day, President Granger dropped in at the Teachers’ Union Hall, and gave them his old campaign speech about how high he holds them in his esteem. Most teachers, being trained nowadays – obviously including “anger management” – didn’t tell him anything untoward. But it looks like they now feel a decent interval has passed to reveal what’s on their minds.
They’ve just announced they’ll let the PNC Government know where they stand at the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE). That’s a good move; it hits the Government in the only place where it hurts: threatening their feeding at the public trough by withholding votes!! Teachers aren’t just an important constituency because of their huge numbers, but in the influence they wield in their communities. While this mightn’t be as extensive as back in the day, it’s still a potent threat.
Teachers and other public servants should not succumb to the “sweet talk” that’ll be directed at them.
Fool me once (last elections), shame on you; fool me twice (upcoming LGE), shame on me!!
…Labour??
The PPP kept their promise to move a motion for a free-standing Labour Ministry to be launched. But to show they’re serious, they have to simultaneously move a motion of no- confidence in Keith Scott.
What’s that party he represents, again?
