$250M
Xmas bonus
For
Army, Police, others
--
soldiers applaud President’s announcement
By
Neil Marks
THE
government is paying out $250M as a Christmas
“bonus” to the Army and the other Disciplined
Forces, President Bharrat Jagdeo announced to loud
cheers from soldiers yesterday.
Making
the announcement at an annual lunch engagement with the
troops, he commended the military for their work and
pointed to the critical role they would have to play in
four key national events next year, including
maintaining the peace at general elections.
SERVING
THE TROOPS: President Bharrat Jagdeo serves lunch
to soldiers yesterday. (Quacy Sampson photo)
At
the traditional “Soldiers Day” Christmas party at
the Army’s Camp Stephenson Base, Timehri, the
Commander-in-Chief said soldiers, policemen and members
of the Guyana Fire and Prison services would get the
annual Christmas bonus, with each receiving one
month’s salary.
The
dining hall at Camp Stephenson erupted in thunderous
applause when the President said he was pleased with the
work of the Army and was granting the bonus despite
severe challenges the country faced this year, including
the devastating January floods and escalating fuel
prices.
However,
he pointed to the role they as the Guyana Defence Force
(GDF) would have to play in four key events in Guyana
next year: national elections, preparations for Cricket
World Cup 2007, the Rio Group meeting, and the
country’s 40th Independence anniversary celebrations.
He
commended the Army’s role in the national flood relief
effort to help those hit by the January floods, noting
that these affected 40% of the population and incurred
expenses totalling $3B.
“In
spite of the suffering and the misery the flooding
caused, our people rose to the occasion, and you in the
military played an important role in rising to the
challenge and bringing relief to our people and I want
to thank you for that,” President Jagdeo said.
Despite
the flood and other challenges, the government managed
to keep the economy stable and was able to meet
additional expenses, like a supplementary $100M for the
GDF, he noted.
Pointing
to the 2006 regional and general elections, he said the
Army will have to play a critical role in maintaining
the peace as it has been working jointly with the Police
Force.
He
said many people predict that the elections will be
marred by “Armageddon and war” but he does not buy
into the doomsday scenario.
“I
know about our people…I have seen the level of
integration of this society,” he said.
He
said the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has a job
to do in running the elections.
“Many
people think I can tell them (GECOM) what to do - I
cannot. That’s an independent body. They have to
prepare and prepare well. Whatever the results are, we
must respect the results and move on so that we can
continue building this country,” he noted.
Brigadier
Edward Collins
In
his address to the soldiers, GDF Chief of Staff, Brigadier
Edward Collins said
his special plea with regard to the preparations in
order to meet the deadline is that the country should
aim for genuine peace to reign before, during and after
the elections.
Pointing
to the observance of the country’s 40th Independence
anniversary next year, Mr Jagdeo said the GDF would have
an important role to play in the celebrations.
He
called for the younger generation to educate themselves
about the struggles the country made in attaining
independence.
“What
bothers me today is that few of our young people know of
the struggles that we had to achieve independence. This
is the fitting year to learn of those struggles,” the
President said. “This has to do with the pride of our
country.”
Next
year too, he pointed out, Guyana would be hosting for
the first time the Rio Group summit. The Rio Group
consists mainly of South and Latin American countries
and Guyana is the representative of the Caribbean
Community (CARICOM).
Mr
Jagdeo said it would be the first time that a small
country like Guyana, and an English-speaking country,
would be hosting leaders of the group.
The
Rio Group does not have a secretariat but relies on
yearly meetings to make decisions on new fields of
cooperation which enhance economic, social, scientific
and technological development among member countries.
“It’s
a big undertaking. I know we can do it. We have to do
it. It would put our country on map of the world,” Mr
Jagdeo stated.
In
addition to these events, all major works on the
Providence Cricket Stadium being built for Cricket World
Cup 2007 would have to be completed, the President
noted.
He
said there would be a role for the Army in these
preparations given that it is a massive undertaking.
He
added that the preparations would have to be immaculate
because this would be an event that will be watched by
hundreds of millions of people around the world.
The
deadline for completion of the Providence Stadium is
October 31, 2006 for the hosting of the games in March
2007.
“I
know the importance of all four of these events. The
pride of the country is at stake,” the President
stressed.
Meanwhile,
reflecting on 2005, Chief of Staff Collins said that
despite the paucity of equipment, the GDF remains a
strong force, always ready and relevant. This is because
of the Guyanese soldiers who portray “courage,
compassion, and determination” and this he said has
always been the bedrock of the successes of the force.
He
urged them to continue to perform their duties with
“that level of commitment and dedication seen
throughout the year in order to create an atmosphere of
peace, and tranquillity all across this country of
ours.”
“In
this way, we are bound to bring eternal joy and
happiness thereby causing not one but many smiling
moments for our people giving them that feeling of
safety and making them satisfied in the knowledge that
what we are doing is for their general wellbeing and
overall security of this nation,” Collins declared.
Aware
that many make pledges for the new year, he had his own
for the Army.
“We
too in the Army, as an organisation, ought to pledge for
the new year to rededicate ourselves to achieving higher
standards of performance in all areas so that the
country can attain peace, justice, people’s safety,
national security and stability, as well as a positive
as opposed to a negative outlook/mentality to the
future. We must aim for all of these regardless of our
personal views, be it political or religious. This is
because Guyana is for us all, and it is our
responsibility to develop her,” he said.
As
is traditional on Soldiers Day, the Commander-in-Chief
served lunch to junior members of the GDF and shared in
open conversation and other forms of entertainment.
Thursday,
December 22, 2005