Concerns about the treatment and conditions of veterans of the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana National Service and the Guyana People’s Militia have led the government to set up a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to ensure their proper welfare after service.
Towards this end, Colonel Desmond Roberts was sworn in yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Judy Latchman as Commissioner of the public inquiry, which was slated to begin yesterday.
Speaking at the simple swearing-in ceremony, Minister of State Joseph Harmon alluded to the conditions of veterans, many of whom are “left destitute” after retiring from the armed services. He reminded that the initial idea for a CoI of such a nature came from President David Granger, who moved a motion during the 10th Parliament for the previous government to look into the manner in which veterans of the aforementioned organisations were treated once they retired from service.
“Many of them are basically left destitute, many of them who would have retired at a very early stage now would have to be competing with younger people for jobs after they would have left the army. And so we have to look at several issues, one has to do with ageing, which is a big issue in the world right now, the other has to do with the manner in which veterans are treated…In Guyana, we’re basically now trying to catch up, and these are people who would have actually given service to the nation, persons who would have put their lives on the line for the country and so it’s a specific, a particular type of service which you have to recognise that these people would have given to their country and we believe that after they would have completed military service or paramilitary service, that they should be treated with a certain level of dignity and pride,” he noted.
Harmon said the desired outcome was for veterans to be “given a fair share” and “feel that they are being dealt with in a fair and just manner by a society to which they have given their services in the best days of their lives.
“You become a veteran after you have completed service, and if the conditions of service now do not prepare you for a return to civilian life, then we need to have a look at that.”
Colonel Roberts, who related that he was formerly the Director General of the Guyana National Service, Director of the Guyana Youth Corps and a senior officer in the military, echoed Harmon’s sentiments.
“…I worked in all kinds of capacities in the field, and I think that, in terms of administration, it’s an extremely important thing, mainly because a lot of veterans or people who are actively serving, have skills that are quantifiable and I think that sometimes they’re not transferrable. Like people may know how to do military things in a helicopter, but there’s no reason why those things should not really come into civilian life and we have to also try to get some equivalency to make sure that military skills could transfer,” he said.
The inquiry is expected to last for two months, but with the consideration that an extension may be required, as according to Harmon, an inquiry may be done into the current conditions of service.
The terms of reference (ToR) of the CoI are to investigate, examine and report on the following:
- The required support to enable the transition from service to civilian life.
- The quality of welfare service that promotes independence, maintains dignity and provides the required support after service.
- The eligibility and adequacy of the following veterans benefits:
- Compensation for disabling injuries, psychological trauma or a terminal disease; resulting from his or her participation in service activities;
- Dedicated counselling or treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder or related conditions;
- Honouring and memorialising of fallen veterans;
- Education, training and skills development;
- Facilitation of employment placement;
- Facilitation of and advice on business opportunities;
- Pension;
- Access to healthcare, and
- Housing
- Investigate matters relating to veterans and the veterans community in relation to ageing, health, welfare and disability.
- Existing policies, laws and regulations that adversely affect the interests of the veterans.
- The need for legislation to provide for the welfare of veterans and their dependents.
- Appropriate policies to ensure that service provided to veterans is adequate.
- The establishment of a Veterans Advisory Council to provide a forum for veterans to communicate directly with the government, to monitor and make recommendations to provide advice on matters relating to veterans.
- The establishment of a Veterans Appeal Board.
