Latest update November 22nd, 2024 1:00 AM
Nov 02, 2010 News
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) celebrated 45 years of existence yesterday, and according to Chief of Staff Gary Best, the entity has shown resilience in overcoming any and all challenges while staying on course for mission achievement.
Best said undoubtedly the GDF has made a significant contribution to the development of Guyana.
“I hasten to assure you that we stand postured to continually transform to suit the changing and emerging threats to territorial integrity and security.”
He disclosed that the GDF has completed its organisation analysis and is currently undergoing a strategic defence review process. And these will be produced as part of the re-engineering and transformation process and upon completion will result in better planning and management of human and material resources.
The Chief of Staff revealed that the force has embarked on an academic education programme that will benefit ranks which will aid them at CXC and technical institute level and the GDF will also provide educational opportunities up to the university level.
Speaking on the topic of health care, Best said that there is also medical insurance for families of all ranks, while a day care facility will provide “first class service to children of our ranks…these two facilities dedicated during this month as we continue anniversary celebrations.”
Additionally, the force has amended its drug and pregnancy policy, Commodore Best said after the first pregnancy, the female soldiers would be required to observe the two-year rule or persons would be “more pregnant than working” which could affect their military service.
However, steps are also being taken to rehabilitate first time offenders who have tested positive for drug use.
Best said that the new system was aimed at protecting people from losing their military career because they would have experimented with drug-use on a bad weekend, with other persons.
“Once you are tested positive, you have a mandatory ninety-day period when you are tested again and if on that occasion, you still have drugs in your system, then we move to immediate dismissal.” Commodore Best stressed.
“We will be open, transparent and exercise greater accountability at all levels.”
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