Presidential candidate for the APNU+AFC David Granger yesterday urged members of the security forces, who will be casting their ballots today, to vote for the coalition so as to ensure their lives are bettered and working conditions are improved.
Granger, who served in the Guyana Defence Force and retired as Brigadier, appealed for their support in a letter published as a full-page advertisement in yesterday’s Stabroek News.
Over 7,000 members of the disciplined services will vote today ahead of the May 11 General and Regional Elections.
Earlier in the week, President Donald Ramotar also sought to appeal to the disciplined services by way of an open letter that was also published as an ad.
In his letter, Granger told servicemen and women that the coalition is the best option available to govern this country. He stressed that Guyana has been suffering the “most severe and sustained security crisis” in history over the past 15 years, during the presidencies of Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar.
“Our country now has one of the highest homicides rates in the world according to the Global Status Report on Violence Prevention 2014,” he noted.
According to Granger, the country has been listed as “the 16th most homicidal country globally.”
Granger, a former national security adviser who has kept an eye on the country’s security situation and has even documented his findings and observations, said that the country’s murder rate has risen to three times higher than that of the United States. “The Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Police Force which should help to make our country safe have been grossly under resourced, underfunded and under equipped by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic administration,” he said, before adding that armed robberies, banditry in the hinterland, murderous maritime piracy along the coastland, domestic violence and gun running, have prevailed. The combined cost of crime and incompetence, he added, has taken a toll on everyone’s quality of life.
Granger added that the crisis became so severe that the Disciplined Forces Commission had to be convened to advise on the reform of the four services but in spite of the 164 recommendations made Jagdeo and Ramotar never saw it fit to implement the most important of them since 2004.
Included in that list, Granger said, is a review of the salary structure and substantial increases in remuneration; augmenting the strength of the Defence Force and the Police Force and improving the organisation and increasing the equipment available to the services to enable them to better perform their security tasks.
Singling out Jagdeo, Granger accused the former president of resorting “to uncivil, untruthful and unwarranted attacks” on former officers and members of the forces who have served with dignity, dedication and distinction.
He added that Guyana “no longer needs to suffer from criminal violence or to endure vulgar insults to its servicemen.” He said that citizens look to the defence and police forces to protect them from crime, to keep their families safe in their homes and to make the nation secure. “I pledge therefore that an APNU+AFC coalition under my presidency will increase your pay to liveable levels and improve your conditions of service,” he declared, before adding that a coalition government and the nation’s security forces together “will engage you to make our beloved country safe for the next generation. I urge you therefore to vote for APNU+AFC at the General and Regional Elections in May 2015.”
Meanwhile, in his letter to the ranks and officers of the disciplined forces, which was published on Wednesday, Ramotar said that prior to taking up the presidency he admired the personal commitment and dedication of officers and ranks to their respective professions.
Since the PPP/C took office, he said, the party has worked hard to address the concerns of the army, police force and the prison service through investment in capacity building and improving the management and operations of the disciplined services.
“We have unshackled the Disciplined Services from political influence… We have provided you with a level of resources never before matched,” he wrote, adding that today the Disciplined Forces are “stronger and more resourced” than ever.
“As Commander in Chief I am humbled by the support I have received over the past three years from the leadership of the Disciplined Services,” he also said, while acknowledging that there is scope for improvement. He assured the servicemen and women of his unwavering support.
“Come May 02, 2015 as you head to the polls to cast your votes, I ask you to consider the strides that our country has made. I ask you to consider the improvements made to your organisations,” he said, before asking for their support in being re-elected as president.
Ramotar’s appeal came despite earlier remarks by members of his campaign that sought to demonize ex-servicemen who are now part of the opposition coalition and charges that their election could see the armed forces becoming compromised.
Test run
Today’s voting s generally seen as a test run ahead of the civilian voting on May 11th.
After the members of the disciplined forces cast their votes, the results will not be known as the votes will be stored by the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM) and counted along with the rest of the general public after May 11th.
Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally told Stabroek News that just as in years past, the commission will not be counting the votes separately.
He also noted that with the disciplined forces voting today, GECOM was prepared dispatch personnel and materials, such as ballot papers and indelible ink, to the polling stations countrywide.
Surujbally said the indelible ink that will be used for the elections has a stronger silver nitrate concentration, which will allow for the stain on the electors’ fingers to last longer than in the past.
The ink, which was sourced from a company in Canada, contains 20 per cent silver nitrate; normally the percentage is 16.
