GUYANA DEFENCE FORCE: The People’s Army - If they aren’t part of the Solution - Then they are part of the Problem.

I am convinced that an entity is either for or against the events as they are occurring. It is with reservations that I attempt to explain my opinion on the role of the Guyana Defence Force in the political landscape as I understand it between 1966 and 2005. My first recollection of the GDF is most certainly the Ramon Sattaur affair, which occurred in March 1966. Major Ramon Sattaur was the highest ranking Guyanese soldier, serving in the GDF under the command of the British Lieutenant-Colonel Ronald J. Pope. Major Sattaur was recruited by Governor Sir Richard Luyt and served as the officer in command of the Special Service Unit, before he was commissioned in the GDF. The Indo-Guyanese officer was officially dismissed from the Guyana Defence Force, on March1, 1966. The notice was a letter from the Governor, terminating his commission. Major Sattaur claimed he was “unjustly fired” and described his removal from the national army as “a political move”. Lieutenant-Colonel Ronald J. Pope stated major Sattaur’s dismissal was a part of a plan to re-organize the Force, and gear it for its responsibilities after independence. Major Ramon Sattaur was trained at Sandhurst Military School and was commissioned in the Jamaican Regiment.
Major Sattaur should have been appointed the Chief of Staff of the GDF; however, it is clear the then 37 year old Indo-Guyanese Officer was a victim of the beginnings of the politicizing of the Guyana Defence Force. Major Sattaur was quoted as saying, “As soon as I can collect my money I am going away. If my own country does not want me, I won’t remain.”
The Prime Minister made his intentions clear. Burnham was not willing to take his chances with an Indo-Guyanese officer at the head of his army. Therefore Major Sattaur was asked to resign. The image of 2nd Lieutenant Roberts at The Flag Raising Ceremony during the independence proceedings in Georgetown impressed upon me - I could one day do likewise. I may even walk in the footsteps of my then hero Dr. Fidel Castro. Guyana’s independence meant that I had the opportunity to dream. I could in the future represent the country of my birth as a soldier- statesman. It was around that period I begun to read of Yakubu Gowon of Nigeria and the Biafra war, 1967 – 1970. I did not understand the role of the military in national politics. It was the instructions I received at the Cuffy Ideological Institute at Kuru Kuru, which begun to open my eyes to the political role of military personnel. Understanding military and political machinery of nations became a paramount exercise for me, during the remainder of my, all too brief, military career. The outstanding events of my career are I encountered both Castro and Gowon. Castro told me to move the soldiers under my command further away from his airplane. I exchanged handshakes with Gowon at Timehri and then at The Residence at Belfield, for good measure. I am positive that was my only visit therein – and I was dreaming I would do so again – following a revolution.
My reminiscences indicate the 1973 national elections was the first time I really begun to look at the GDF as a unit of the PNC. I was residing between September 1966 and March 1974 either on the Corentyne Coast or on the East Coast of Demerara. Therefore when Indo-Guyanese were shot and killed at # 63 Village. I was deeply troubled. They are likely folks I encountered while residing in # 64 Village. In 1974, I learnt the Commanding Officer of the troops at # 63 Village was Lt. Joe Henry, a son of Mr. Gresham Henry, Head Master of the Primary School at Leeds. It known, Police Constable James Henry was murdered at the #63 Village Toll Booth. Arnold Rampersaud was accused of committing the act, and held in custody for about three and a half years. GDF soldiers would openly talk about switching and destroying ballot boxes. Some would say buried at sea and other would say placed in incinerator.
I knew truth was present - mathematics could not calculate to represent honest victories at the polls for the PNC. There is no doubt in my mind that the results of the national elections of 1968, 1973, 1980, and 1985 – were all rigged, all fraudulent. Thus the PNC never won a national elections - regardless of what social scientists has written or will write - the coalition government of the PNC-UF, from 1964 to1968 was the only period the PNC were a legitimate regime. I view coalition governments as political coups.
What as been absolutely remarkable in the last 40 years is that the GDF never attempted to overthrow the government of Guyana? Again I am no political analyst. I am more than somewhat taken aback, but not at all surprised by such inactivity by the GDF. I think it’s an indictment against the military commanders. It’s either the crabs in the barrel syndrome or the effects of Burnham’s power of persuasion. Whatever it was and or is it does not reflect well at all. I believe it displays Guyana military commanders in poor light - followers, not leaders. Soldiers in the so-called Third nations were staging coup after coup. Attempts were made in Trinidad, in Surinam it was successful. By January 1976 I was convinced the GDF soldiers will not attempt to overthrow the Government. I was then a Lance Corporal and experienced an encounter with folks at Timehri whom I was told during the debriefing are members of the CIA. Their telescopic lens, were so remarkable they presented a view of the airport with such clarity and closeness as if within the reach of a hand. Well I believed at that period they were Englishmen. They were so well versed in their knowledge of cricket. I was impressed with their skills of deception.
Another feature was the recognition that from June 1974 to November 15, 1977, while a member of D Company, I served under three Company Commanders; Captain Victor Wilson, Captain George Arlington Davidson, and Lieutenant Edward Collins. Captain Davidson was a big brother to me. I called him either Speedo or GAD. I loved hanging with Captain Davidson and Major Brenda Aaron. I still remember crying like a baby when I heard Captain Davidson died following a motor vehicle accident. In deed I lost an older brother. I remember GAD telling me, to always think for myself, aspire to positions of leadership - that’s where difference makers are found, never give others orders you can not, and or will not carry out yourself - one leads by example - aspire to be at all times a soldier’s soldier. And that is what I always tried to duplicate throughout the remainder of my stint in the GDF.
I thought the officers in charge of the several recruitment of cadet officers training I attended were all under instructions to select those who they were under the impression would be obedient to the PNC government. 1991 when I last spoke to Fred Wills; he asked why I made life so difficult for myself. Mr. Wills asked me if you really wanted to represent Guyana in the under 19 cricket you should have come to me, even after Demerara Cricket Club folks turned you down. If you really wanted to be a commissioned officer, even after your attempts on your own were rejected - then you should have come to me. Son, he went on success in life is about preparation meets opportunity with help from those who know you - and please remember and practise that all the days of your life. 
Burnham was so confident that the GDF soldiers were incapable of challenging his rule that he placed a policeman, Norman McLean as the head of the army. Burnham with swooping strokes of his pen slapped the collective faces of the members of the GDF, silly. I remember the disgust, and the contempt the soldiers had for police officers- we would whip their butts at a drop of a hat, and push up on their females in a second - just to be starting something. That was such an insult. I was so sure that was more than enough Ammunition for a counter coup. Honestly, I could not and still do not understand why soldiers did not rise up against such belittling. Their failure to attempt to overthrow the government following the Norm McLean appointment is in my eyes the worst thing the GDF has done. I certainly lost whatever respect for the military high command of the GDF. I believe if the political affairs within the country are neither worth correcting nor dying - then the international affairs are not worth either killing or defending.
I would sit under the tamarind tree imagining either Spanish or Portuguese as a language I may need to learn quickly. Thus I began to study the conditions of Black people within Venezuela and Brazil. I engaged in examining WPA literature as much as I could. I kept wondering;
1.When will the soldiers to do something?
2.How could GDF soldiers support Burnham and the PNC after such a despicable act - against them? 
I was definitely wrong about the GDF. Simple reasons such as claims of fraud led to a military coup in Nigeria. A counter coup made General Yakubu Gowon the President of Nigeria. The history of Guyana has shown all the attempts of self government by revolt ended in miserable failures. The political coup which occurred in December 1964, and it lasted for 28 long years, remains the exception. In the old days, “House ******s” betrayed the revolutions. During the 1970s, too many soft guys and snitches - PNC stool pigeons – are the reasons plots never really, germinated. The PNC operatives implicated several officers who wisely left both the GDF and the country as Sattaur did in March of 1966.
The policy of the High Command of the GDF is very perplexing to say the least. Gunmen did not appreciate public works such the road project in the Buxton- Friendship district. Therefore it was terminated - that’s simply too much to swallow. While I do not like Black folks shedding blood of other black peoples - the gunmen have been begging for a thorough response from the GDF. Why on earth would they kill soldiers, and more so sleeping soldiers? Simply speaking, that is more than this old timer can stand. I say wipe them off the face of the earth, immediately. Let the communities be retuned to peace loving and honest citizens. That is the right thing to do. In fact it’s the only thing to do. 
I simply can not understand;
1.How they can stand so idly by, doing nothing, while soldiers, non-commissioned ranks, are murdered innocently? 
2.What will it take to awaken them from their sleep and slumber? 
3.Does criminals have to murder a commissioned officer before the High Command take the necessary steps to eradicate this cancer which has been a plagued the nation for far too long now? 
4.How upon earth do you think Guyanese would ever believe the GDF can protect their national interest when they do absolutely nothing while their own members are victimized with regularity?
5.What are the explanations? 
The GDF never reflected they are the people’s Army. The GDF soldiers never portrayed themselves as part of the solution. Then it relatively easy to summarize that soldiers was and or is part of the problem.
I pray that another innocent person would not be victimized, in Guyana. Every innocent death by violence, the hand of the Gunmen running around the country is the fault of Jagdeo and his impotent policies. Guyanese ought to remember their dead, Guyanese must honour the lives of their innocent victims - and then the results of the next national elections – will reflect such. Ethnicity is no longer an excuse to keep those who have reduced the country into Hollywood scripts in power. People do something about it. Let change make it presence felt. Vote for change from 52 years of misery.