GDF conducts drug tests on ranks fingered in mining camp raid

Jan 30, 2013 News

– Board of Inquiry dispatched to location

Guyana Defence Force medical personnel are presently carrying out tests on ranks at Eteringbang to determine if they are indeed using narcotics as was claimed in an article carried by this newspaper last Monday.
The article captioned “Ganja-smoking soldiers accused of robbing mining camps” has led to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) dispatching a high-level team to investigate the allegations made by a local miner.

Chief of Staff Commodore Gary Best

“We have a Medex there to conduct the tests; we also have police ranks on the team,” Chief of Staff Commodore Gary Best told Kaieteur News yesterday.
Immediately after the story was published, Commodore Best immediately dispatched a team led by a Lieutenant Colonel to carry out investigations, which are expected to go a far way in preserving the image of the Guyana Defence Force.
“The GDF wishes to categorically state that any GDF ranks found culpable of this dastardly act will face the full brunt of Court Martial Proceedings or the Civil Law. Further, the Guyana Defence Force intends to ask for the maximum penalty for anyone found guilty,” the army had stated in a press release on Monday.
“My statement is pretty clear, we are going right through with this (investigation) and if anyone is found culpable, there will be a court martial and the public will be kept fully informed,” Commodore Best assured.
It is alleged that on Friday last, five heavily armed soldiers went into a Cuyuni mining district at an area called Devil’s Hole, where they relieved a group of Brazilian miners of raw gold after getting high on the marijuana they had seized earlier from drug pushers on the nearby Julian Ross Landing.
According to Commodore Best, preliminary investigations seem to suggest that some ranks had left the base without the proper authority. He however cautioned that it was too early to determine if the ranks, who were off the base, were indeed at the location where the alleged incident took place.
“We can’t conclude as yet that our men committed the act, but by tomorrow (today) we will know,” he said.
This newspaper was informed that in addition to the investigative team, a Board of Inquiry led by another Lieutenant Colonel will travel to the base at Eteringbang today to deal with any possible breaches of rules and regulations.
“We are sending a clear message to our ranks that we will not condone any such activities,” the army chief of staff told this newspaper.
He reminded that three years ago, the Guyana Defence Force faced a similar scenario when a young lieutenant and some other rogue ranks raided a mining camp. Those ranks were subsequently Court Martialled and dismissed.
The GDF is assuring miners of all nationalities that soldiers are not authorized to conduct any mining operations except with the permission of the Chief Mining Officer. However, the GDF said that no such mining operations are currently authorized.
“In this regard the mining community is advised that the Force will not tolerate its ranks committing offences and wishes to assure all miners that there must be no fear of recrimination by anyone in the Force. Any suggestion of recrimination by any serving rank must also be reported and those involved will also face the full brunt of the law.
“This is a very serious matter and it will have the full rigour of our investigations,” the army statement said, adding that the GDF is committed to making the mining community a safe zone so our citizens and international investors can ply their trade peacefully.”