Former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief of Staff (CoS), Brigadier Godfrey Bess yesterday said he never felt unconfirmed even though his preferment as CoS came just one day before he retired.
Bess was speaking after yesterday’s Change of Command Parade which also featured the new Chief of Staff Omar Khan.
Brigadier Bess was appointed under former president, David Granger, in July 2020. Since then, Bess had been in the role as acting Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force until Thursday.
Bess is now 55, and having served the GDF for some 33 year has retired.
On the other hand, his successor, Colonel Khan, was promoted to Brigadier on the same day he was appointed CoS and has received his instrument of appointment.
Bess, during the handing over ceremony hosted yesterday at Camp Ayanganna said that the timing of his naming as acting Chief of Staff was impeccable since at the time the country was going through the COVID-19 pandemic and the national elections turmoil.
“I think the timing was impeccable. When I became CoS, you have to remember it was in 2020 July. During that time it was a pandemic and there were other issues in this country.”
Bess said that during that period the country was going through a rough time and now that everything is in place, including the fact that his family can now visit Guyana for the changeover it makes its impeccable.
He stressed that even though he was acting in the role, he never felt as though he was merely acting since he had received all the benefits of the role.
“What happened is that I was never promoted, I was conferred, I was given that instrument, but I say to you that I never one day felt un-conferred. I was always referred to by his Excellency, as Chief of Staff and during my tenure as CoS I have enjoyed all the benefits, I never felt unconfirmed. So, I didn’t feel anyway negative”,. Bess added
With the ending of a career in the GDF, Bess, who has proceeded on pre-retirement leave says that his next step will be on the side of the government where he will play a role in national security.
“Basically, I’ll be in an advisory capacity. It will see me working with like-minded nations, military, security, and defence-wise,” Bess noted.
He added that that role will suit him since the GDF speaks to the pillar of defence and now his experience in that will now flow with working with like-minded nations with the same concept.
“What I’ll be doing with the government is defence diplomacy, and you would have heard the government speaking to that; it’s one of our pillars of defence strategy, it has to do with us partnering with like-minded friendly nations in order to build out diplomacy.”
That role according to Bess will start when he feels it’s the right time, between now and the new year.
In brief remarks after the changeover ceremony, Khan thanked the press for its “service to Guyana” saying that “we live in a democracy and your questions are important and we have to have answers.”
He added: “We are obligated because we are defensive public officers. We are obligated to give answers”.
He said that over the course of his tenure, he will lead within the ambit of the law and always give of his best.
Promising to be a leader who works closely with all of the ranks, he said that the nation will see a defence force that serves for the national good.
“It is my intention to work closely with my ranks and also that we meet the expectation that the country requires us to do. It is my intention that my vision be guided by our national security strategy and our national development trust,” he added.
