Dear Editor,
I was filled with a sense of pride on Saturday, September 26, when I witnessed the Guyana Defence Force on a route march along the East Coast of Demerara. I saw a contingent of men and women with faces resolutely set as they paraded to the cadence of a corps of drums.
The usual swank and swagger was noticeably absent and in its place was a demeanour of professionals knowing that theirs is a task that not everyone is suited to perform.
As I watched our servicemen and women changing arms on the march I experienced a rare sense of longing to be back in my twenties when I was part of an honourable profession.
Like many of my contemporaries I can recall the feelings that we wanted to be in the army when we saw on parade, people like Robert ‘Bob Marley’ Mitchell, Carl Morgan, Hartley ‘Black Prince’ Liverpool, DV ‘The Lion’ Wilson, youngsters like Eddy ‘Bantufu’ Collins, Julian ‘Bruce’ Lovell, and Lawrence ‘Pablo’ Paul. Many are the stories told about the late Gregory ‘Bronson’ Hernandez who after a whole night of partying was fit and able for a route march.
These men and more too numerous to mention exemplified what a Guyana Defence Force should look like in the examples they set.
One thing in particular struck me as I watched my countrymen and women in uniform was that they did not need anti-aircraft guns to protect our borders; they showed that they possess the will and willingness to so do.
Their preparedness was no more evident than the presence of extra drummers as replacements should the need arise.
All in all I was extremely impressed by the reassurance that indeed Guyana is in safe hands.
Yours faithfully,
Patrick E Mentore
