…advises that they remain vigilant against those who would seek to divide the country
MEMBERS of the Joint Services (Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Police Force, Guyana Fire Service and the Guyana Prison Service) yesterday hosted an appreciation ceremony at the Police Officers’ Mess, Eve Leary, to honour their Commander-in-Chief, President Bharrat Jagdeo, who, within a few days, will be demitting Office.
Addressing the President, Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle said that President Jagdeo, under whose tenure the Joint Services benefitted tremendously, has made some indelible marks with regard to Guyana’s development.
“There is no doubt that the Joint Services is a more cohesive unit… where they have all come together for one common goal,” he said.
He made specific reference to the President’s move to have cadets from the GPF, GFS and GPS trained in the Army to boost the human resource pool within this very important security organisation.
Gentle also spoke of the strides that the GFS has made over the past
few years, as a direct result of the President’s commitment to ensuring
that these organisations are fully mobilised to meet the needs of
citizens.
Director of Prisons, Nigel Erskine, said this was a very opportune time
to reflect on how the Joint Services have moved to a higher level, and
he too highlighted the developments that the Prison Service has seen,
including training (for both officers and prisoners), improved
accountability, and resuscitation of the agricultural aspect of the
prisons.
Police Commissioner, Henry Greene said that President Jagdeo’s term in office has brought tremendous and other economic success to Guyana, and highlighted some of the novel achievements that he has spearheaded, including the Berbice and Takutu bridges, Guyana National Stadium, road and water distribution networks, hospitals, schools, and his efforts in the area of climate change, which earned him the title ‘Champion of the Earth’.
Greene assured that the Joint Services will continue to forge ahead to
ensure that safety and security are maintained in Guyana, even after
the president has demitted office with the new administration.
Chief-of-Staff, Guyana Defence Force, Commodore Gary Best, in his
remarks, said that the Joint Services benefitted greatly in the area of
intelligence operations, and he recalled the expediency with which the
president moved to ensure that the Army was provided with much needed air transport.
“Your leadership to and with the Joint Services has been strong…you
brought a perceptive mind to the Joint Services and you kept us united
despite the difficulties in Guyana,” Commodore Best said.
President Jagdeo expressed his gratitude to the Joint Services for
hosting such a ceremony in his honour, and said that he cherishes the
work that they have done together and the achievements they have made.
The Head of State noted that his interactions with the Joint Services
have been predominantly productive, even though there have been
instances when he has had to speak out on certain issues.
He stated that some heads leave office largely because of the will of
the voters, while some are disposed of in other ways in societies that
are undemocratic. He said that on the other hand, he is fortunate
that he is leaving office based on the Constitution of Guyana, a
change that his signature has brought into being.

“It is absolutely good for Guyana, given our history and given the
need for renewal…I depart feeling better about our country…I am
pleased that during my tenure things have changed considerably,”
President Jagdeo posited.
He recalled the kind of atmosphere that pervaded Guyana when he took office, and said that a lot of time has been spent on “settling” this
country.
He noted that today, the country is much more stable, not as a result
of rigid enforcement, but because more Guyanese have a stake in it;
they are looking to own something, such as a plot of land or a vehicle.
This stability has led to many Guyanese living abroad now returning home, to be a part of the development that is taking place.
“I firmly believe that our best years are yet to come; we have worked
very hard to restore stability to this land,” the Head of State said.
He noted that within the space of about 15 years, government has paid
back approximately US $1.7B in debt, and today only four percent of
the country’s revenue goes towards the repayment of debt, while the
rest goes towards nation building.
He also spoke of other investments particularly, as it relates to
mining, the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), and Information
Communication Technology (ICT), all of which will revolutionise the
country.
The president said that the new economy will see the creation of
thousands of jobs, and he called on the soldiers, particularly those who
retire early, to ensure that they leave the army with a skill to
facilitate a seamless transition into that world of opportunities.
He recalled a statement made by a Presidential Candidate of one of the
contesting parties, who said that he would bring in foreigners to
manage the Joint Services.
“Our people shed blood to free ourselves from the colonial yoke…I am not saying that we must not use external training and skills, but we must have great confidence that we can manage things ourselves,” President Jagdeo said.
He noted that, as a country, Guyana should never accept assistance if
it comes with strings that trade sovereignty.
The president said that the Joint Services is comprised of very
special agencies and he has worked to ensure that they are treated as
such, even though sometimes he has been criticized by other agencies
because of the increases in allocations.
“You play a special role and, I have seen once again, the growing
respect for the uniform,” he said.
He called on them to work to maintain standards, recognising that
theirs is not always an easy job and that they are often
criticised unfairly.
The president also called on the ranks to be vigilant and take a
stand against elements in society who seeks to divide the country,
based on race and religion. (GINA)