Former Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon believes that the government’s decision to hold its weekly Cabinet meetings at the Guyana Defence Force’s Camp Ayanganna base shows a politicising of the military.
“For me, this is politicisation of the military, which is the other side of the militarisation of the civilian government,” Luncheon told Stabroek News.
“They already also have static high posts in government so why would they cultivate more strengthening of public perception about this militarisation,” Luncheon, who also served as head of the Defence Board under former PPP/C administrations, stated.
Government last week announced that the Officer’s Mess Hall at Camp Ayanganna would be used for Cabinet meetings, in light of the repair works at the Ministry of the Presidency, which are expected to last some four months.
It has defended the move by stressing the need for security and confidentiality and has indicated it would not be reversing the decision.
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has condemned the move, saying that it represented “a blurring of the line between the security forces and the political directorate of the executive branch of the government.”
Immediate past president Donald Ramotar also blasted government’s decision. Ramotar reasoned that because of the negative public perceptions that would and can come from a decision such as keeping Cabinet meetings at a military base, he would not have advised such a move by any government.
Luncheon argued that government should be more “wary of public perception,” while accusing it of borderline insensitivity to citizens who share genuine concern of having a militarised government.
He pointed to recent Commissions of Inquiry (CoIs) set up by government and noted that most are headed by former military personnel.
“It is public perception that counts. Already out in the general public there are concerns about the militarisation of civilian government. For instance, CoIs now seem purely and specially for military people only. I can’t remember when last a non- military person was appointed head of a CoI.
“This is politicisation of the military, which is the other side of the militarisation of the civilian government that is what this is all about, when you go and put the Cabinet meeting in the military. This is the home, a repository of strength and authority and what’s not and that is where you are going to put Cabinet? It is almost saying that the civilian government is now subservient to the military,” Luncheon asserted.
“That is a perception that is out there and this act would only heighten those concerns. All the people who are civic minded might start getting doubts in their minds and could be saying, ‘Ah boy like the military tekking ova,’” he added.
He related that in 1992, after the PPP/C won the general and regional elections after some 28 years of PNC rule, its first Cabinet meetings were held at its headquarters, Freedom House, in Robb Street.
“When the PPP took over, the first set of Cabinet meetings were held in Freedom House. If you are talking about security, the PPP in 1992 probably had much more reason about feeling insecure as opposed to the government of today. The 1992 election was heralded by all kind of strife and protests. Now, in 2016, they don’t have anything like that, so this security concern is nothing more than nonsense,” he argued.
“Just as how we had held our meetings at Freedom House for the first couple mornings, they have Congress Place, they can go down there. But then again, there is AFC and it is if they would want to go there, so that is another story. But they could have gone to Georgetown Club, where the Herdmanston deal was struck, or the Cultural Centre …they have a lot of other places they could have gone,” he added.
