Dear Editor,
AS an ex-soldier, I strongly condemn the way in which our young brothers are losing their lives in the army. I am worried to see and hear what is taking place with respect to many lives that have been lost in such a short space of time; within three months.

As an ex-Corporal of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), I served in the demolition platoon, in Field Engineer Battalion. What is happening today worries and shocks me. I am disgusted to see that in a short space of time, the GDF is dealing with two similar incidents regarding soldiers who died when handling fireworks. I firmly believe that this is as a result of negligence on someone’s part. Many years ago, myself and others were trained as Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) soldiers, and our mantra at that time was “safety first”, and all best practices at that time were guided by that approach. In our days, only trained, qualified and experienced soldiers were allowed to handle explosives and certain types of munitions. Of late, it is disheartening to see so many soldiers being killed by explosives.

I am, therefore, appealing to the commanders of the Guyana Defence Force to make sure ranks are properly trained and equipped to handle explosives and ammunition. I have no choice but to cast blame on the instructors for what is happening. During my career in the IED platform, the period was characterised by zero incidents throughout, and none of us even experienced a spark. We were taught all procedures. Therefore, it is only right that the instructors take full responsibility for what has taken place. The instructors should be retrained, and thereafter they should be given follow-up and refresher courses time and time again to keep their knowledge sharp.

If there are expired explosives and ammunition, there should be a well-rehearsed procedure for getting rid of the unserviceable stuff. Further, I suggest that ex-soldiers with this kind of knowledge and experience known to me will be more than willing to share their knowledge in this area. They are Major (retired) Aubrey Heath-Retemyer; Warrant Officer Class 2 Liverpool (retired); and Sergeant Benton (retired), to name a few.

In conclusion, all of us as ex-soldiers who served in the GDF are very much concerned, and are willing to help in any way. To the family of the deceased soldiers, I beg to extend our sincere sympathy. Be safe, my people.
Regards,
George Archer
Ex-Soldier