Dear Editor,
Let me state that I have the utmost respect for Colonel Nazrul Hussain of the Guyana Defence Force and wish to applaud his appointment as head of the Department of National Events under the Ministry of the Presidency. However, over the past fourteen months the nation has witnessed members of the Guyana Defence Force, both past and present, being ‘preferred’ to head, conduct, investigate, chair, plan, implement, coordinate, oversee, etcetera, most boards, ministries, commissions of inquiry, etcetera. The Ministry of the Presidency, the D’Urban Park Project, the Barry Dataram CoI, the CoI into the mining disasters, the Department of National Events are some that come to mind.
The question is, does being an officer or having once been an officer in the Guyana Defence Force offer one a distinct advantage over the ordinary mortals of this country, or is being an officer or having been an officer now a prerequisite for certain state appointments? The answer to this question can very well determine the career path of one of my sons who will be graduating from President’s College shortly.
Yours faithfully,
Reginald Sookram
