THE 18th century Essayist Oliver Goldsmith remarked with sarcasm in one of his essays that the monarchs of Europe received service of the highest excellence from some of their citizens but gave in return yards of ribbon.

In the 19th century, the monarchs awarded medals in addition to the ribbons and awardees were accorded some social pre-eminence. Today, citizens have continued to give selfless service to the State and Nation and are honoured with medals but without any tangible recognition. In Guyana, personnel in the Police and Military services, the Public Service, and persons in business, the professions and those engaged in social and religious work have been honoured from year to year but most are soon forgotten.

Many honorees are persons of wealth and influence and would consider it infra dignitatem to be offered some tangible reward from the State, in tandem with their national honours. And most others who have served selflessly had no thought of receiving any reward from anyone and to offer any reward to such persons may result in their politely declining.
But there are a number of honorees, especially those who had served in the Police, Army and Public Service who have become very old and have no relatives or even close friends whom to turn, and they do not have savings on which to depend. This group of honorees does need help and the State should accord it. We would not suggest special pensions for the old awardees, but rather that they should have easier access to the facilities of the State, especially with regards to health. We would therefore suggest the following could be done for the State and society to show their gratitude to people who had selflessly given the better part of their lives to the nation:-

An annual list of all surviving honorees should be published and sent to the hospitals and government departments. The departments and the hospitals should give priority of treatment to any honoree who might identify himself or herself as such. For example, many old honorees have to go to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to pick up a document or make a payment and it would be a great relief to such persons if they could have a quicker service.

With regard to the health services and hospitals, an honoree should be able to telephone someone in authority to ensure he/she does not wait in long lines. Such persons, especially the old, should be able to get walking sticks or even a wheel chair by calling at the Public Hospital’s Administrator’s office. Or should have their X-rays and operations done with priority. They should also be given some priority with the ambulance services, from the hospital and the Fire Service, once they are identified.

We have seen honorees in their 80s, who used to be very senior public servants, waiting in confused lines to see an eye doctor or a doctor in the medical and surgical clinics. Such persons may often be arthritic and in pain. Many old age and NIS pensioners and who are honorees also find great difficulty in uplifting their pension books. It would be a great relief if some arrangement could be worked out where these books are delivered to the honorees’ homes. Supermarkets should be invited to extend discount facilities to honorees and at Christmas, the relevant Ministry should be responsible for presenting food hampers to honorees. On death, the State should assist in meeting the expenses of burial or cremation of the honorees if requested. If the State were to accord such tangible recognition to honorees it would enhance the prestige of the honours and show that the State was caring for those who had given so much of their lives to the service of the Nation.