President and Commander in Chief, His Excellency David Granger Thursday morning declared the Guyana Defence Force ‘fit for role’ as he declared open the 2020 Annual Officers Conference which is being held over the next two days under the theme,’ Effective Transformation for Total National Defence.”
In his feature address to the Officers, President Granger lauded the Force’s promulgation of a defence doctrine, the strengthening of the technical corps, the pursuit of defence cooperation with friendly countries and the implementation of organizational restructuring, all of which, he said, has improved its readiness to respond to threats.
“The Defence Force, as the guardian of the country’s national patrimony, is integral to its economic development. Economic security is essential to national development. The people of this country can benefit from its bountiful resources only if they are protected,” he stated. It is in this vein that the President urged the Officers to therefore consider the Force’s role in strengthening border and maritime defence and in ensuring the economic development of the country.
Touching on the improvements in the Force including those made in the technical corps, the recapitalisation and institutional reorganization, President Granger stated, “The Defence Force, today, is a superior organization to what it was five years ago. Public confidence in its capabilities has been restored. National defence, as a consequence, has improved. These improvements will continue over the next ten years,” he stated.
Chief of Staff, Brigadier Patrick West in his deliberations noted that as the Force continues on its journey of effective transformation, it will do so cognizant of the threats that will seek to impede this process in an environment that is in itself changing, driven by the emerging oil industry, mining, movement of persons and an ever-increasing dependence on cyberspace.
He recollected that the previous year saw an increased operational posture of the Force inclusive of active and integrated patrolling. This new year, according to Brigadier West, “will see an increase in the number of patrols as well as areas to be covered so that we can dominate more of our land and sea space.”
The Chief-of- Staff also revealed that for 2019 the Force ensured that 2272 of its ranks underwent local training compared to 2257 trained in 2018. Additionally, he noted that 317 ranks were attending external, academic institutions in 2019 compared with 197 in 2018.
Brigadier West also alluded to the expansion of the fleet of the Air Corps and noted that as the process of transformation continues, there will be the physical expansion of the infrastructure and structure of the Air Corps as well as the provision of expanded services and accumulation of other aircraft.
Brigadier West assured the President and members of the Defence Board that the Force will continue to aggressively man the country’s frontiers, support the civil powers in maintaining good order and support the efforts of national, regional and international partners for the economic enhancement of the land. “ We commit, therefore, to ensuring that we work to implement all the programmes that are necessary to promote economic stability, maintain our sovereignty and ensure peace and stability,” he asserted.
The opening ceremony was held at the Baridi Benab, State House.
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