Satiricus was having a drink at the Palm Cut in Georgetown. After his old drinking buddy Cappo, the cane cutter, had headed off to the States, he didn’t feel like going down to the Back Street Bar in his village right now. So here he was, bellied up to the Palm Cut bar, with an old acquaintance who just happened to be a member of the Pee an See. And who knew Satiricus had a soft spot for Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat of the AFC.
“Is wuh schupidness, dem PPCEE bannuhs gine aan wid?” complained Feel Licks. “Dem sayin’ we militarising’ de state!!”
“But Feel Licks, they have some reason for saying so, you know,” said Satiricus quietly. Since Cappo had decided he couldn’t make a living in Guyana anymore, Satiricus had been re-thinking his positions on his old heroes.
“Wuh reasons?” Feel Licks said brusquely. “Beca’se one ex-Police Commissioner, three ex-heads of the army and ten senior GDF officers advisin’ de President?” Feel Licks stood up and saluted when he mentioned the President. “Military people shouldn’t get wuk?”
“Man Feel Licks, I’m in the news business, you know,” said Satiricus, “It’s not only in OP. In every Ministry, there’s an army officer calling the shots. Just like how the Soviets used to have their Political Commissars!”
“Military Commissar?” demanded Feel Licks. “Name me one!”
“Hard Man!” replied Satiricus immediately. “He tells Nagga Man and Trot Man what to do!”
“OK! Bannuh! But tell me… do we put Police under Army command against civilians?” asked Feel Licks. “That would be militarisation.”
“How about when the Army Chief sent an army intelligence to do undercover work, and he died in hot pursuit?” came back Satiricus.
“OK. But we ain’t militarisin’ de society by giving civilians military training,” said Feel Licks with a smirk.
“So why the government bringing back the People’s Militia, the Cadets Corps and increasing the reserves?” Satiricus wanted to know.
“Well, I don’t see it that way,” said Feel Licks firmly. “Because we military people are trained to only see things our way – the military way.”
Satiricus finished his beer and left the Palm Cut.
