— Colonel Gomes

With a total of 86 persons on the Guyana Veterans Legion ‘shut-ins’ list, ranging from the

able-bodied to the infirm, the need for veterans’care is now more evident than it has ever been.
This situation has prompted the Chairman of the Guyana Veterans Legion, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) George Gomes, to rule in favour of the veterans, affirming: “We have to institute systems to ensure veterans’ care is readily available.”
Colonel Gomes made these remarks in his recent address at the annual wreath- laying ceremony at the Veterans’ Monument, Base Camp Ayanganna last Friday.
Veterans, after serving in the army for several years, and for some – all their working lives — it is only fitting that on retirement from the army they can live and dwell in dignity and have their health and other basic needs taken care of.
But for some of the 86 veterans of the Guyana Veterans Legion, this is but an elusive dream, some veterans recently disclosed to the Commission of Inquiry into conditions of our army veterans.

Addressing the issue of the challenges faced by veterans wishing to be admitted to the Veterans’ Home in Lamaha Springs, Colonel Gomes, adopting a ‘no-nonsense’ approach, declared: “We have a national veterans’ rest home in Lamaha Springs and to stay there, a veteran has to pay $25,000 per month. That I think, is a little bit more than the minimum pension.”

REMOVE IT
Against this backdrop, the chairman on that occasion made an open call for the fee paid by veterans for admission to the facility to be removed.
Moreover, he disclosed that the home has accommodation for 24 veterans, but as at today’s date – after five years of existence — it has only 11 residents and all are not from the army.
Considering that the fee has made access to the facility prohibitive for the veterans, the chairman, incensed at this development, considered it ludicrous that literally thousands of prisoners of all ilk in the prisons are benefitting from free “feed, house and clothe” and getting (in army jargon) ‘three square’ meals a day. On this note, he interjected: “And we can’t mind 24 veterans free of charge?”

As if to say, “Enough is enough!” the Chairman stoutly declared: “I am making a call here for that fee for the veterans’ home to be removed, so that the home can have its 24 residents, and if possible, whenever it’s extended they can have more, but it must be a free institution for veterans.”
Gomes said a meeting was held with the Chief-of-Staff and a visit was made to the facility about two weeks ago.

PLEDGE OF SUPPORT
Meanwhile, Brigadier George Lewis said that as Chief-of-Staff, he was cognisant of the many challenges that face veterans today and asked them to be patient and not to expect everything to happen overnight.
He explained that any additional benefit that may come to them has to be funded and those funds are not readily available.
He, however, pledged to support them, but within limits.

Empathising with the veterans, the Chief-of-Staff continued: “We also understand that one day all of us who are currently serving will step out of our uniforms and sit where you are sitting; that we will grow old, and that we will transition to civilian life and someday another generation of servicemen will gather here to honour us.”
And commenting on veterans’ care, Brigadier Lewis said: “As I reflect on veterans’ care, I believe that it is evolving and gaining recognition in Guyana. I believe that veterans’ care is in its formative stage; that it is now evolving and gaining recognition; that progress is slow and that it will take time before it will evolve into organisations similar to those in the United States or the United Kingdom.”