President David Granger has approved the appointment of Colonel Godfrey Bess to perform the functions of Chief of Staff as Brigadier Patrick West proceeds on pre-retirement leave, the Ministry of the Presidency has announced.
West will proceed on accumulated leave with effect from Wednesday, July 1st, 2020, until March 2021.
According to a statement released on the ministry’s Facebook page, Bess has been approved to perform the functions of Chief of Staff; while Colonel Trevor Bowman has been approved to serve as Inspector General; Colonel Sherwin Anderson as Quartermaster General; and Colonel Raul Jerrick as Adjutant General with effect from July 1st.
Bess, the ministry said, noted that it is an honour to have been bestowed with the privilege of serving as Chief of Staff of the Defence Force. He also thanked President Granger and the Defence Board for the opportunity to serve while Brigadier West proceeds on his accumulated leave.
He also thanked West whom, he has worked with over the last three years on what he termed the consolidation and stabilisation period of the GDF.
“Brigadier West’s leadership has been admirable. I have learnt a lot from him. The vision is clear and indeed what I need to do with my team is follow the vision,” Colonel Bess said noting that “the path is clear and I will follow that path,” he was quoted as saying.
The statement said Bess started his military career in 1990 and served in Command, Administrative, Staff and Training appointments throughout the GDF. His professional education was supported by the compulsory professional military education of the Guyana Defence Force which includes the Senior and Junior Command and Staff Courses and Managing Security in Wider Defence Context.
Bess has been serving as Quarter Master General since January 1, 2018 and has been responsible for ensuring that the GDF is well resourced to carry out its mandate in any terrain.
He has received military training from the Colonel Ulric Pilgrim Officer Cadet School- Guyana, the United States of America Military Police School- Alabama, the Caribbean Junior Command and Staff School- Jamaica and the Shrivenham Defence College, United Kingdom.
Colonel Bess is the holder of a Bachelor of Social Science Degree in Business Management and Level Two Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.