A senior officer in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is refuting the claim by Chief-of-Staff Commodore Gary Best that Christmas bonuses were only withheld from officers listed for poor performances, saying that specific individuals were singled-out.
The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Stabroek News that officers whose names were not on any list had their bonuses withheld. The officer also said there were persons who were listed for performance reasons but received their bonuses anyway.
Best last month said that the Christmas bonuses of some officers were withheld based on their poor performance, while noting that similar action had been taken in the past. He had told this newspaper that the commanding officers of each division had submitted a list with the names of persons who had not performed well and should not receive bonuses. The lists included officers who were Absent Without Leave, those who sold duty-free cars and those involved in accidents.
According to Best, he and a panel of his top officers reviewed the lists and if during the review process there were officers who the panel felt should receive bonuses despite their performances, then those names were pulled from the list, making them eligible for their gratuity. “…This is not a one-man show and it is not a task for the Chief-of-Staff,” Best had said.
However, the officer who spoke with this newspaper, said that after submitting the lists, commanding officers were called and asked about individual officers whom “the-powers-that-be” felt should have been listed and their names were later included.
The officer also made it clear that the commanding officers were instructed to prepare the lists and it was not a case of them taking it on themselves to prepare the lists. He said that in the past, all members of the GDF received their one-month bonuses when announced by the Head of State in December.
“It is something you waited for in December, you waited for the president to announce it at the Christmas lunch,” the officer explained.
According to the officer, it was after officers got wind of the fact that they would not be receiving their bonuses and they became very disgruntled that senior management “started to water down somewhat the names that were on [the] lists, calling commanding officers and asking how much time some persons might have and they then take some persons off the list.”
The officer added that he was concerned by what he termed “blind loyalty” of the commanding officers and he said someone needs to stand up for what is right.
“You are already charged and disciplined and by withholding the bonus is like you are getting a double whammy and that is why we’re saying this thing is discrimination,” the source said.
Meanwhile, the source also took issue with officers now having to wait four years before they can benefit from duty-free concessions, when Office of the President had stipulated that on appointment an officer could benefit from the concession.
“That is a breach of Office of the President regulations, once you are appointed you should get it,” the source said, adding that previously officers got it at the rank of Second Lieutenant now officers may have to wait until they are at the rank of a Senior Lieutenant.
He said the GDF is just a facilitator of the duty-free concession and not a dictator likening what is happening now to the scenario of reducing a salary that has already been linked by government to the attainment of a particular rank.
“When you do that to your officers, you are saying to them, ‘well look I am taking away from you,’” the source charged.
He added that while some officers may have re-sold their vehicle or committed some other wrongdoing, they should be dealt with and it should not be a case of others being made to suffer as well.
He also does not agree with the stipulation that certain categories of officer should be denied ownership of certain vehicles because of their rank. “It is happening because nobody is challenging these things. The day an officer challenges, they will win because it is wrong,” the source said. “We have been silent too long,” he added.
