President Bharrat Jagdeo charged 51 newly elevated ranks to “safeguard Guyana’s development vision” and to participate in the development process at a ceremony hosted on Thursday at Camp Ayanganna.
“As our country advances steadily along the path we have set out on, the disciplined services themselves will be called upon to adapt and adjust both to the emerging challenges and opportunities and, to the evolving demands of changing circumstances,” Jagdeo said. He delivered the charge after decorating the ranks with badges for successfully completing the Standard Officers’ Course (SOC) #43 and the Reserve Officers’ Course #15, a press release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said.
Twenty-nine Guyana Defence Force (GDF), 14 Guyana Police Force, four Guyana Fire Service, three Guyana Prison Service and one Belize Defence Force ranks were honoured after the president, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, other government officials and members of the Diplomatic Corps, joined Army Chief of Staff, Commodore Gary Best in inspecting the troops at the commissioning parade which included a March Past and band display. The president then bestowed the Sword of Honour on Best Graduating Student, Under Officer Jamal Scott. Jamaine Lovell was recognised as the runner-up best student.
In his address, which GINA noted was his final charge as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Jagdeo underscored that the disciplined services are mandated to preserve order in society. He told the new ranks that they are products of Guyana’s resolve to protect the dignity that was achieved through hard struggle and painstaking labour and encouraged them to be cognizant of the magnitude of the dignity that has been achieved.
“Today we have a government that is freely elected by the Guyanese people. We respect and protect the human, political, cultural, social and economic rights of all Guyanese, we have a constitution that has evolved from colonial times to be, I dare say the most modern in our part of the world, we have a government that believes that effective governance cannot be pursued without ongoing involvement and engagement with the people and their elected leaders,” the president said.
He then outlined his vision to the honourees, which includes preserving sustainable development by pioneering forest-based forest services, supplying electricity though the promotion of renewable energy, harnessing the most modern of technology such as affordable and reliable bandwidth to households and industry and promoting technology based jobs. He said too he plans to capitalise on Guyana’s geographic location “as a bridge between the Caribbean and South America, encouraging greater physical linkages with our neighbours and ensuring that these linkages result in expanding benefits to our people.”
He then urged the ranks to be active in helping to fulfil this vision rather than be mere eyewitnesses to it. “For this reason I encourage you to see yourself as a part of this vision, not merely as passive beneficiaries but as young Guyanese with a useful contribution to make and an important role to play in ensuring this vision is realized,” he said.
According to GINA the SOC was developed to provide training for new army officers and new officers of other services. “Its broad objective is to provide a solid foundation for the subsequent professional development of all cadets entering the GDF,” it said. The syllabus includes an intensive programme of military skills and tactics, rigorous physical fitness, team activities designed to promote stamina and group spirit, leadership and command methods, management techniques, military law, and national policy.
