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Prime Minister responds to opposition queries of GDF promotions
“Deputy Chief of Staff is Colonel Kemraj Persaud”, said Prime Minster Samuel Hinds in response to a question by Opposition Leader David Granger at a recent sitting of Parliament.
David Granger
The Prime Minister was asked to inform the National Assembly of the identity of the officer appointed to the position of’ Deputy Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, consequent to the retirement of Rear Admiral Gary Best and the announced appointment of Brigadier Julian Lovell as Military Attaché to the Federative Republic of Brazil.
The Prime Minister was also asked to name the officer appointed to the position of ‘Colonel General Staff’ of the Guyana Defence Force.
When asked about the effective dates of the appointments to the respective positions, the Prime Minister said, “Both positions were appointed with effect from Friday ‘2013-09-2
When asked whether it was the intention of the Guyana Defence Board that the positions of Deputy Chief of Staff and Colonel General Staff be held simultaneously and by the same Officer, Prime Minister Hinds explained that this has been the standard practice of the Guyana Defence Force with the exception to August 2007 when Colonel Andrew Pompey was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff and the then Colonel Julian Lovell, Colonel General Staff.
When asked whether it was the objective of the Guyana Defence Board that Captain (Coast Guard) John Flores to continue in his present appointment as Colonel Administration and Quartering (Col AQ) Prime Minster Hinds responded, “Captain (Coast Guard) John Flores at the request of the current Chief of Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips, is to remain in his appointment as Colonel Administration and Quartering (ColAQ)”.
History was created when President Donald Ramotar and Secretary to the Defence Board, Dr. Roger Luncheon, pinned the insignia of the rank of Rear Admiral on former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force and now Rear Admiral Gary Best.
The rank of Rear Admiral was never bequeathed on anyone before in Guyana. However, that rank is equivalent to that of a Major General; a rank held by at which three other Army heads, Joseph Singh, Norman McLean and Michael Atherley retired.
Best served in the army for the past 33 years and has been the Chief of Staff for six years. This promotion to Rear Admiral came a little less than a month before Best’s retirement on September 17.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds
Opposition member Joseph Harmon noted that it has become a pattern by the government to promote ranks close to their retirement. He added that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) did not believe it was a good move to promote officers when they are making their way out of the profession since they won’t be able to utilize the rank.
In Harmon’s view, the promotions were granted as a sign that says “we are investing in you to say we think you are capable to operate at a higher rank”.
Harmon noted that if government had the confidence in a rank he or she should be promoted while they can serve in that rank.
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