The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has bestowed nine Joint Services Awards for excellence to four members of the military fraternity and for the first time to five outstanding CSEC students
Chairman of the Joint Services Council, GDF Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Mark Phillips presented the awards, a GDF press release said.
The ceremony took place at the GDF Confer-ence Room at Base Camp Ayanganna although only eight of the nine recipients were present. The awardees were as follows: GDF Lance Corporal, Nicholas Richards; Guy-ana Police Force Corporal, Karel Mars; Guyana Prison Service Superinten-dent, Nicholas Elliot; and Guyana Fire Service Leading Fireman, Don Brandis each received Rank of the Year with their respective military branch. Amrita Ramnauth, Julissa Williams, Miriam Gaskin and Dale De Mendonca were the recipients of the Joint Services Awards for Academic Excellence. The children, whose parents are members of the Joint Services were outstanding performers at the CSEC examinations and are the first ever to receive that award.
The final recipient Abigaile Hillman was unable to attend the ceremony, the release said.
Ramnauth, a former Queen’s College (QC) student and current University of Guyana undergraduate obtained 13 CSEC passes and intends to complete studies in Computer Science.
The former North Ruimveldt student, Wiliams had passes in 8 CSEC subjects and hopes to pursue a career in Agriculture.
De Mendonca, a Bishops’ High student gained 10 passes at the CSEC level and is continuing his studies at the Advanced level. Gaskin obtained 4 CSEC passes as a fourth form student at QC and is sitting 12 more subjects in fifth form.
In his remarks, Brigadier Phillips congratulated the students, and said, they have done themselves and family proud.
The military will continue to follow their progress as they move forward and will give them support, he said.
