Flag-raising mishap should not detract from the commitment and sacrifices of Guyana’s military personnel

Dear Editor,
During the day, or in the dead of night, while most of the country bustles with activity or remains fast asleep, Guyana’s military men and women, donned in combat uniforms and equipped with heavy-laden military weapons, remain wide awake, patrolling and protecting the territorial integrity of the country and keeping Guyanese safe from incendiary external threats.
In the absence of a national military draft, these men and women voluntarily enter military service, and for this, they become worthy of respect and admiration, particularly for their commitment and willingness to serve the country in the face of constant danger. Whether prompted to serve out of egoistic or altruistic reasons seems irrelevant, for these men and women share in one collective allegiance, one collective consciousness that symbolizes their commitment to being the defenders, the protective vanguards of the country’s national integrity and territorial legitimacy.
Rarely seen patrolling the streets, the security functions of the men and women who serve in Guyana’s military seldom appear visible to many and therefore are not fully cognizable by the very people who benefit from their protection. Regrettably, as if to embarrass the government, the malcontents seek every opportunity to underplay or discredit the important security functions and dedication of Guyana’s military personnel.
Evidence of such reaction can be seen in recent social media posts that tried to mock the military for its missteps in raising the flag during Guyana’s 60th Independence Day ceremony. Indeed, the incident does not stand as testimony to a proud moment for the military or the government. But how often does such a thing occur? Should one then allow the incident to foreshadow the ongoing security the military provides for everyone in the country? To do so only reflects one’s foolhardiness.
Moreover, one does not need to be reminded of the constant threat posed by Venezuela’s presidents, past and present-Nicolas Maduro and Delcy Rodriguez, respectively. As widely publicized, these former and current Venezuelan dictators seldom detract from their frivolous claims to a huge swath of Guyana-the Essequibo region-which necessitates constant vigilance by Guyana’s military. Consequently, lobbing childish barbs at the military-as in the case of the flag-raising mishap-is insulting to the core integrity of the Guyana Defense Force and should not serve to diminish or underplay the exemplary efforts of Guyana’s brave men and women in uniforms who assiduously toil in fending off Venezuela’s aggression.
By way of the foregoing, I am reminded of the sacrifices Guyana’s Defense Force soldiers make each and every day; sacrifices that not only linger in the minds of neighbors , friends, and families but also deserve conspicuous memorialization so that those who find infantile pleasures in minor military incidents can be reminded of the brave who lost their lives in the line of duty to the country. Most worthy of note are Lieutenant Colonel Michael Charles, Colonel Michael Sahoud, Lieutenant Colonel Sean Welcome, Staff Sergeant Jason Khan, and retired Brigadier Gary Beaton, who lost their lives in the helicopter crash of December 8th, 2023. Not to be ignored are the two survivors, Lieutenant Andio Michael Crawford and Corporal Dwayne Johnson, both of whom carry the scars and memories of that fatal incident.
The above-mentioned military men left their homes and families daily to assume responsibilities relating to the defense and security of all Guyanese.
Without assurances of returning home safely, these men, I am sure, understood that they could be endangering themselves in the protection of the country, yet they chose to voluntarily enlist to serve in the military, which then begs the question: (a) Do you think those who hurl social media criticisms at the military do so out of courage or cowardice? Before hastening to answer, please give some consideration to the eloquently expressed statement by Dr. Martin Luther King when he said: “Cowardice asks the question, ‘ Is it safe? ‘ Expediency asks the question, ‘ Is it politic? ‘ And vanity comes along and asks the question, ‘ Is it popular? ‘
But conscience asks the question, ‘ Is it right? ‘ And there comes a time when one must take a position that it is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because the conscience tells him it is right.” Today, the men and women of Guyana’s military continue to serve, not because it is safe or popular, but because their consciences tell them it is right. For this, they deserve our utmost respect and admiration.

Regards,
Narayan Persaud
Professor Emeritus