– but gov’t sees little to be gained

THE combined opposition used its majority in Parliament yesterday to carry a motion in the name of Leader of the Opposition Brigadier (rtd) David Granger for the establishment of a National Veterans Commission.

‘We in the government see little to be gained and we see a certain danger that the inevitable focus of attention, time and resources to this Commission would detract from necessary focus on growing our economy’ – Prime Minister Hinds

The purpose of the motion which was carried by the majority is to establish a National Veterans Commission which would examine the conditions and circumstances facing the veterans of the Defence Forces and disciplined services and make recommendations to ensure their health and welfare and the general administration of their affairs.
The Defence Force and disciplined services referred to by the Leader of the Opposition are the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana People’s Militia, the now defunct Guyana National Service and the Fire and Prison Services.
Mr. Granger in moving his motion had argued that there was a general consensus that many of the veterans who had given their youth to their service and country were living in dire circumstances.
The widows of members killed while on duty were having difficulties coping with the loss of their spouses because the compensation given to them was inadequate, he said among other arguments in support of his motion.
He was supported by Mr. Winston Felix who mentioned cases of members being injured and incapacitated in the line of duty and for whom adequate provisions do not exist when they reach the age of retirement.

Commission Not Necessary
In response Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds advanced the government’s position that a Commission was not necessary.
He said that the government was satisfied with the great improvements that it has been able to bring about over the last twenty years in the conditions, the materials, the housing, the food, the transportation, and the increase in allocations to the benefit of disciplined forces and veterans.
He added: “We in the government see little to be gained and we see a certain danger that the inevitable focus of attention, time and resources to this Commission would detract from necessary focus on growing our economy.”
He said: “We all want to do good but we must first do well to get the wherewithal to do good. That has been and continues to be the focus of this government to do well so that there is money and resources to do good. We cannot detract from that.”

(By Clifford Stanley)