14 soldiers faint at parade

At least 14 members of the Defence Force fainted while performing drill in front of President George Maxwell Richards in the Ceremonial Parade for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces on its 41st Anniversary at Teteron Barracks on Thursday. During the parade, from 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm, soldiers and coast guardsmen were seen either collapsing or kneeling down on one knee to pre-empt collapse. A medical squad on standby was kept busy, rushing onto the parade ground to ferry off squadies who were either placed on a stretcher or were aided to walk off.

On a few ocassions, two and even three servicemen were seen fainting at the same time. During the prayer session, delivered by no less than six different holymen — Orisa, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Bahai and the Defense Force Chaplain — some nine servicemen fainted. Interestingly, of all who collapsed only one was a woman, a member of the Coast Guard, who swayed and had to be walked off the parade ground. Ironically all this fainting was happening while Brigadier Ancil Antoine was wishing good health to President Richards and was advocating the reform of the military health-care system. The Newsday photographer was asked to leave the event by Defence Force personnel, for having photographed the faintings.