With PRIDE & Some REGRET-I Remember!

With PRIDE & Some REGRET-I Remember!

The Guyana National Service Para-military institution was an off shoot of the former Guyana Youth Corps. The Youth Corps was intended (if my memory serves me correctly), to encourage young people to cultivate, develop, and settle in the hinterlands of Guyana, thereby allowing for the development and migration inward, from our coastal belt.

This institution had it's flaws from the inception. Politics, mis-management, and other internal troubles hindered it's development in any meaningful way. The National Service Institution was intended to do the same things, but with a military twist to it. Unemployed Youth from 16 to 21 were primarily targeted for recruitment, and encouraged via the media, and political press, to join.

They were told of the socio-economic and educational benefits to be derived therefrom. And the opportunities that will be provided after serving three years as pioneers. It was to be voluntary at first, and if deemed necessary, legislation would be enacted to make it mandatory.

This idea was not a very popular one with the masses. Opposing views here and there about the perceived ills that may result, when large numbers of young girls and boys, occupying the same spaces far away from their families, and proper supervision. But these concerns did not deter the political administration at the time, from going ahead with plans and implementation.

The GNS ( this abrev will be used hereafter), started some time in the 1970's, with three major locations. Kimbia, Papaya & Tumatumari. These were located in the hinterlands.

The Kimbia location dealt primarily with basic para-military training for the pioneers (as these youths were called), cotton planting and harvesting. Black eye peas, and other cash crops, were grown to feed the pioneers and staff on that location, and some sent to other locations as well.

Papaya was the location that dealt primarily with military training skills, political education/orientation, etc.

Tumatumari as well did some of the above and much more. I cannot say precisely, what was obtained at Tumatumari, because I only did a short stint for three months at Kimbia, as mandatory orientation. At the completion, I was sent to The GNS-Supply Store in Georgetown, to continue serving after leaving Kimbia.

I was involved in the building of The GNS Sports Complex. As a matter of fact, most Georgetown based personnel were expected to do some work there when ordered to do so. I was also ordered to 'cut sugar cane' on the Sugar estates on the East Coast of Demerara, when the cane cutters were on strike. The political leadership, under the late Forbes Burhnam ensured, that we did the cutting of the sugar cane, which was ripe and ready for cutting. Disregarding the official strike by workers there!

Training to use firearms was mandatory on all GNS locations. I did not have this privilege though. I guess because I was a staff member on orientation at Kimbia. Several pioneer veterans for different reasons were killed, either by careless use of the weapons, accidents, or just indiscipline. I was also ordered to go on 'Funeral detail' several times.

I went with pride during these funerals, because I knew of the hardships, difficulties, and even environmental dangers, which most of these youths had to endure. I eventually left the GNS in 1975, after some re-structuring was being done.

My view was, that they were experiencing some Managerial re-shuffling, and Top-management overhauling. I took this opportunity to get out as fast as I could, after serving two & one half years. But I shall always remember my sojourn there, and the hardships, and military discipline, which we were subjected to, and the lofty ideals that was originally conceived.

It was a pity it's implementation went so badly!

Derryck S. Griffith.
Manhattan. New York City.
http://profiles.yahoo.com/derryckgrifith
http://profiles.yahoo.com/derryck_mimbari


RELATED INFORMATION:

Director General & Asst. Commissioner Of Police:
Norman Mc Lean:

Asst. Director General-Administration:
Charwin Burhnam:


LOCATIONS:

1.Kimbia:- The Agricultural Camp, eg Cotton Gin:

2.Tumatumari:- The military training camp:

3.Papaya:- Military & other matters:

4.New River:- Border patrol/security, etc:

GNS River Vessel:- 'The Jaimito,'

ACHIEVEMENTS:

* GNS Sports Complex:
Was built primarily by servicemen/women's labor:

* Sugar Cane detail/cutters on the sugar estates, during the months of strike action by cane cutters.

* Planted and harvested black-eye peas & cotton for local consumption & export trade at Kimbia.

* The Great March by the pioneer youths, led by Norman Mc Lean-Director General.