President Irfaan Ali yesterday met with members of the Guyana Defence Force Engineering Corps at State House to further discuss their role in national development through the implementation of infrastructural projects across the country, the Department of Public Information (DPI) reported.
The Head of State was joined by several Government Ministers including the Minister of Local Government, Nigel Dharamlall, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., and Advisor on National Security to the President, Captain Gerry Gouveia.
During the engagement, the President pointed to the critical role that the GDF will play in the country’s infrastructural transformation.
He also reiterated that the engagement was a very important step in examining how the Armed Forces can become more integrally involved at the community level.
“Your involvement in community projects will help the communities to see the army in a different light. It will also have a meaningful, multifaceted impact on every segment of society,” Ali said, according to DPI.
Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess and Brigadier Gary Beaton used the opportunity to express the Force’s commitment to implementing the identified projects. Among them were the construction of community roads, the building of bridges and the construction and enhancement of community grounds, DPI said.
During the Badging ceremony for newly promoted GDF officers in August, President Ali announced that Government would like to make the military more community-oriented, engaged and aligned with national development goals.
“Guyanese must not only see these distinguished men and women in uniform as just members of the Army. They must see you as a key and integral part of development …. Our military is blessed with great men and women, with tremendous skill sets and experience and the know-how. The time has come for us to harness this great potential in our military to uplift and build communities all across the country,” the president had said, according to DPI.
