Georgetown: Colonel George Lewis, Deputy Chief-of-staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is set to take over command of the military when current chief, Brigadier Mark Phillips retires early next month. A farewell parade billed for October 3 in honour of Phillips will be the same day when Lewis will take up office. Reports disclosed that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President David Granger, will soon promote Col Lewis to the rank of Brigadier in time for his ascension to the chief-of-staff post. Phillips who hails from Linden where he attended the Christianburg Primary School and the Christianburg Wismar Secondary School (Multilateral School), joined the GDF in December 1980.
He is a graduate of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, in the United Kingdom and has held several appointments, including Colonel (Administration and Quartering), and Colonel (General Staff) in the GDF’s Defence Headquarters, during his 30 years of military service.
He was also Guyana’s Head of Delegation to the Inter-American Defence Board from 2008 to 2009, and was up to 2011 Guyana’s non-resident Military Attaché to Venezuela. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier back in 2013 by then President Donald Ramotar before he took command of the GDF. He succeeded Rear Admiral, Gary Best.
Meanwhile, asked about the impending change of command in the GDF, President Granger said there is a “succession plan” when Phillips demits office. “…the next senior officer is going to take his place,” he said.
The President made it clear that there will be a smooth transition and more details will become available in the next few weeks.
“There is no surprise there. The present Deputy Chief-of-Staff is Colonel Lewis, [there is] Colonel Nazrul Hussain, Colonel Persaud…about half a dozen colonels,” he added, noting that the Defence Board has a wide field of choice.
The President said the Defence Board will meet when he returns to Guyana and make its choice on who will manage the GDF.
“The defence board will make the final decision,” said President Granger who is Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.
Members of the Defence Board also include Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan and the Commissioner of Police.
Colonel Lewis’s appointment as Chief of Staff means that he joins the number of esteemed Chiefs-of- Staff including, Colonel Ronald Pope, Brigadier Clarence Prince, Major-General Retired Norman McLean, Major-General Joseph Singh, Major-General Michael Atherly, Brigadier Edward Collins and Rear Admiral Gary Best.
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