Dear Editor,
On Thursday, April 2, Dr Luncheon once again spouted his concern about ex-army officers joining APNU. In brief, his primary concern is that Brigadier Granger (rtd) and several other army officers are now entering the political arena. Many of us would agree that Dr Luncheon’s observation is nothing new. However, no one is surprised by his conclusions because they are utter nonsense. Army officers have served Guyana with distinction in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), and when they leave the organization it is entirely up to them to determine what they do with the rest of their lives.
In Guyana, the retirement age is 55 years so when one retires at such a young age that should not be the end of one’s life or only contribution to society. Many of these officers are physically fit, very experienced, and very skilled and therefore have the ability to choose a new career. However, the vindictiveness of the PPP regime has left the officers with no choice but to support change.
Army officers are first and foremost patriots, and are generally prepared to live modestly rather than to sell their souls. If people like Khemraj Ramjattan, Moses Nagamootoo and Ralph Ramkarran have tried to change the culture of the PPP and failed, why should army officers who are politically inclined jump in?
In addition, army officers are generally competent, hardworking people who believe in meritocracy and not nepotism or cronyism. Dr Luncheon should understand that no Guyanese should be prepared to grovel at the feet of any organization because it offers them a few dollars and some physical comforts.
Finally, I believe that Dr Luncheon did not serve in any military or paramilitary organization, yet he seems eager to dictate what ex-servicemen/women should and should not do.
Yours faithfully,
Aubrey Retemyer
