Dear Editor,

I would like to respond to Dr Luncheon’s inappropriate discussion recently about the participation of former soldiers and officers in David Granger’s campaign. First let me say that people support the people they know and trust.

It is not about soldiers being “injected” into the campaign. It is about conscientious Guyanese from all walks and professions being attracted to and propelled into the APNU+AFC campaign in pursuit of a multi-racial national government – united patriotic national government. It would appear that Dr Luncheon’s vision is blurred.

There are teachers, engineers, police officers, farmers, civil servants, business people – retired and serving – in Guyana or in the diaspora, people of all walks and professions in Georgetown, the Rupununi, Corentyne, Essequibo, who are captivated by Granger and Nagamootoo and the coalition, and who are united in their quest to send the current government packing. It is the soldiers who first made a decision to serve Guyana; to willingly give their lives so that their fellow Guyanese can pursue life, liberty and happiness.

Is it Dr Luncheon’s blurred vision that has caused him not to recognize the soldiers injected into his own government at leading levels – distinguished soldiers like Singh, Atherly, Ramsaroop, Lowenfield (Gecom)… and then there was Gajraj (ambassador)? They are there in large part, because of their management skills which the military instils in its training, as well as because of their leadership talents, their discipline, their competence, and the fact they want to serve their country the best way they know how. It is the same with the “injectees” in the APNU+AFC “campaign for a better life.”

The officers and soldiers in the APNU+AFC campaign are those who held Guyana together during the Rupununi uprising, Venezuela’s takeover of Ankoko and the retaking of the New River Triangle when Suriname tried to annexe it. By our service to make and keep our country whole, we are obligated to serve the motherland again. We were trained in distant lands, honing our skills for service to Guyana. We will serve because we are duty bound to do so, and are grateful to the land of our birth for the investment it made in us. Thus we are repaying our debt to our country, a debt we must repay. It is not for self-aggrandizement but for the benefits of all the Guyanese peoples.

It is about this tide of energy, this opportunity for a new dawn, a new day that is making everyone rally around the flag carried by Granger, Nagamootoo, Roopnaraine, Ramjattan, Greenidge and other leaders. These leaders were born of Queen’s College, the GDF, the University of Guyana, the Guyana Police Force, St Stanislaus, Bishop’s High School and Critchlow Labour College. Trained to lead, they have to lead, by circumstance or by injection, to take Guyana to a new dawn.

Let me pause for a moment to remember the loss of a leader of this ilk who was “injected” into the campaign but was killed. Crum-Ewing was a leader born of the GDF and Queen’s College. May he rest in peace and guide us in these trying times.

Our service is a bequest to the nation that gave us birth, hope and aspirations. We have served in distant lands with honour, dignity and distinction. And we will serve our country with honour, dignity and distinction.

Long live the right of all the people of Guyana to participate in electing a government that will serve the best interests of the people of Guyana! And we the ex-officers and ex-soldiers shall serve Guyana, that new government and the peoples of Guyana – One People, One Nation, One Destiny.

Yours faithfully,

Colin Westmoreland

Ex-GDF Officer