Latest update November 13th, 2024 1:00 AM
Ramotar challenges army to preserve, enhance image
President Donald Ramotar
President Donald Ramotar yesterday challenged members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to ensure that the image of the army is preserved and that ranks have a greater understanding of the challenges that they face.
The Commander in Chief made these assertions while delivering the feature address at the Force’s Annual Officers’ Conference at Camp Ayanganna.
“An officer of the GDF must have a deeper understanding of the problems and the challenges we are facing. It is therefore of great importance that we ensure that the image of the GDF as the premier security institution is not just preserved, but is enhanced.”
The President also emphasized that the army’s resources must be carefully allocated and preserved.
“I urge you to look at the Auditor General’s report on the military and see the great room you have for improving the use of our scarce resources. Many of the very expensive equipment, including boats, aircraft, and vehicles have too long down-time periods, and other equipment is not always being used at its best.
“Our national resource sector is making an increasingly larger contribution to our economy and our welfare. It therefore demands heightened security attention. Every section of the force has an indispensible role to play. Air surveillance must be institutionalized and civil aviation must embrace fully security consciousness in its remit.”
With global threats such as climate change and the unrest in areas such as Syria and Mali, and the scourge of narcotics and drug trafficking, the President warned that the nation’s forces must be prepared to deal with other national security issues.
Commodore Gary Best in his brief address to the gathering, while not commenting on the recent criminal allegations leveled against a group of alleged rogue soldiers, said that the army institutes “national justice procedures” that correct and mitigate “policy breaches.”
He noted that polygraph testing is one of the mechanisms being embraced in the region to promote integrity among security personnel. An army officer and four other ranks were recently detained in relation to allegations that several soldiers from the army base at Eteringbang had carried out an unauthorised raid two Fridays ago.
The accused ranks were reportedly positively identified and could eventually face court martial proceedings.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell and Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle were among those in attendance at the Officers’ Conference, the theme of which is “Consolidating and Modernising the GDF for Total Defence.”
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