THE French Navy vessel, ‘L’Audacieuse arrived in Port Georgetown yesterday with its crew of 29 on a four-day visit.
The visitors came from Cayenne and berthed their ship at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard Base Hinds, Ruimveldt.
The Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Ludovic Esquivie said they left French Guiana four days ago and were engaged in fishing on the Cayenne Coast but the journey here to Guyana took less than two days.
He said the boat, 55 metres long and eight metres wide, is used for patrolling in Cayenne and has two sister ships.
Esquivie told reporters on board for a tour that his vessel is also a warship called ‘P400’ and, during their stay here, they will be engaged in a series of activities including a cocktail reception this evening.
Today, they will participate in the flag-raising ceremony and witness the float parade before attending a dinner.
Tomorrow, they will do sightseeing in the city, pay a courtesy call on the GDF Chief-of-Staff, Commodore Gary Best and engage the Coast Guard members in games before dinner, prior to departing on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Kopecky, Military Attaché to Suriname and Guyana, told the media he is here to meet the French Ambassador, who is expected here tomorrow.
He said, last year, another French naval vessel was in this country and the present visit is to show determination and will to be friends with the GDF, on the occasion of Republic Day.
Kopecky said there has been increased cooperation between the military in the two countries over the past three years.
He said two GDF officers were on board the vessel from Cayenne to Guyana and,  every year, they invite a similar number from the local Army to participate in jungle warfare training, a course that lasts approximately six to eight weeks.
Kopecky disclosed that some of the crew members aboard L’Audacieuse were in Guyana before now.