Two hundred and seventy four officers and other ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) have been promoted.
The GDF, in a press release yesterday, said that in accordance with Part III Section 16 of the Defence Act Chapter 15:01 of 1977, Chief-of-Staff Gary Best has announced that President Bharrat Jagdeo, who is also the Commander-in-Chief, has approved the promotions of 49 Officers and 225 Other Ranks.
One Officer’s elevation in rank is effective from January 1, 2009, while the promotions of another Officer and eight Other Ranks are effective from January 1, 2010, the release further said. It added that 26 Officers and 179 Other Ranks were confirmed in their Rank while 23 Officers and 46 Other Ranks were elevated in rank.
Leading the promotions list is Acting Colonel Kemraj Persaud, who was elevated from the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Acting Lieutenant Colonels Paul Arthur and Leon Saul were confirmed in their rank while Substantive Major Ron Hercules was elevated in rank to Acting Lieutenant Colonel.
Four Majors have been confirmed in their rank, while Authorised to Wear Major Jermain Cort was promoted to Acting Major.
According to the release five Acting Captains have been promoted to Substantive Captain while five Substantive Lieutenants are now Acting Captains.
Nine Acting Lieutenants, including Authorised to Wear Cedric Fraser, have been made Substantive Lieutenants while 11 Second Lieutenants were elevated to the rank of Acting Lieutenant.
Three Coast Guard Officers, including one female, have been elevated in rank to Acting Sub Lieutenant.
In the GDF Reserve, Acting Captain Manesh Seeram has been promoted to Substantive Captain while Authorized to Wear Lieutenant Marlon Daniels has been elevated in rank to Acting Captain and five Lieutenants have been confirmed in their rank.
Two hundred and twenty-five Other Ranks, according to the release, have been promoted.
Of this amount, 179 have been confirmed in their rank while 46 have been elevated in rank. Leading these promotions, are Substantive Staff Sergeants Marvin Pilgrim, Troy Gaskin, Shirlon Damon, John Croker, Sherlock Rigby, Dyanor Wilson, and Leroy Garnette. The remaining 218 other Ranks were promoted through ranks ranging from Substantive Sergeant to Acting Lance Corporal.
In the Coast Guard, one rank was confirmed as Substantive Petty Officer, two as Acting Petty Officer, 10 as Leading Ratings, three as Acting Leading Ratings, and nine as Able Ratings.
Soldiers who are appointed to “Substantive” rank have earned their confirmation in that rank after previously holding the “Acting” rank.
