THE Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has said that since the explosion at Camp Groomes in 2000, it has made a decision that the persons injured in that explosion would remain on strength and with pay until they would have attained the age of retirement. The GDF made that statement in a press release issued last Friday, and added that a decision has recently been taken to have those ranks appear before a Medical Board and be discharged as ‘ceasing to fulfil medical standards’, so that they can begin to receive benefits without having to wait until they would have attained the age of 40, provided the Defence Board concurs.

Two of the injured ranks are already enjoying such benefits.

“Our investigations into the claims by the ranks reveal that a genuine error occurred, (wherein) the two ranks that approached the newspaper were published in Force Orders as being struck off strength, ceasing to fulfil medical standards, and consequently taken off the payroll when their documentation was not yet sent to the Defence Board”, the GDF stated; noting that those ranks should have remained on the payroll until the Defence Board’s approval was obtained. The GDF regrets this error, the army has said.

The GDF press release noted that the Chief of Staff has assured the affected soldiers that the publication in Force Orders will be deleted, and they will be returned to the payroll and receive salaries from the date they were taken off.

The GDF has said it remains committed to the welfare of its ranks, and has assured that the correct procedures regarding the processing of benefits of the ranks in question will be followed.