…says new appointees to taskforce bring wealth of experience, organisational skills

THE Ministry of the Presidency (MOTP) said the recent appointees to the National Coronavirus (COVID-19) Task Force (NCTF), towards the establishment of an NCTF Executive Secretariat, possess the necessary expertise to strengthen Guyana’s fight.

In a statement on Sunday, MOTP explained, in detail, the professional experience of the individuals and their plan of action in the coming days.

It comes on the heels of an announcement on Friday that former Director General of MOTP, Joseph Harmon, had been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NCTF. Senior Executive Director of the Bertram Collins College of the Public Service, Colonel Lawrence Paul, was seconded to the NCTF and his previous position taken up by Dr. Mark Kirton. Former Director of the Public Information and Press Service (PIPS) Unit, Mark Archer, was also seconded to the NTCF on a full-time basis.

According to the Ministry, Harmon, Paul and Archer possess expertise that is vital to the country’s fight against the disease and their appointment is purely administrative.

It was explained that their skills are necessary to help to “speed up the tempo” on the COVID-19 remediation campaign and the Task Force which will now benefit from their exceptional logistical and planning skills.

MOTP noted that all three executives were serving in different departments of the Ministry of the Presidency and will retain their entitlements and emoluments.

Harmon brings years of experience and is Guyana’s first Minister of State in the MOTP since 2015.

He is an attorney-at-law and retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and has experience in disaster risk management and has worked over the years with the Civil Defence Commission (CDC).

“President Granger explained that he was confident in Mr. Harmon’s organisational and operational competence and managerial experience, which make him best suited for the post of CEO,” the Ministry said.

It added that the President described Harmon as a team player who has a clear vision of the objectives and urgency of the counter COVID-19 campaign and a commitment to overcome the challenges facing the country at this time.

It was noted that Harmon has led the Government on previous crises and emergencies and is familiar with the mechanisms needed to address the effects of the COVID-19 disease and is skilled at mobilising and managing manpower and material resources.

He has been tasked by President Granger with establishing a permanent National Task Force Secretariat; assigning permanent staff to manage the national campaign; creating preventive measures against the disease to safeguard citizens’ health and collaborating with regional task forces and stakeholders to safeguard citizens’ health.

The CEO is also responsible for directing the NCTF operations and initiating all important logistical measures necessary to prevent the disease from spreading further; directing rapid responses to unexpected and emergency incidents; developing short-term plans for disease prevention and safety of the people; communicating directly with agencies, ministries, regional task forces, agencies and stakeholders and disseminating accurate information to the public.

Meanwhile, Colonel Paul served as Deputy Chief of Staff of the GDF and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Management from the University of Guyana and a Master’s degree in National Resource Strategy from the National Defence University in Washington DC.

Archer, on the other hand, has three decades of experience as a medical professional at the clinical, research and managerial level and has stated that he is pleased to be part of the “very important Task Force”.

“My training is in medical technology and pharmacology, but I am not on this Task Force in a clinical capacity. I am here because I think I have the experience and knowledge to assist in the national effort to combat this disease. The Ministry of Public Health has professionals who are capable to test, track and treat. I will be assisting in the mobilisation of resources and helping to put plans together; short, medium and long-term plans for disease prevention and safety of the people,” Archer said.

He explained that although he is a trained medical professional, he believes that his focus will be on planning, managing and coordinating, skills which he thinks are most needed in the operationalisation of the NCTF.

“The President was aware of my interest and my experience and the fact that I was ready to be a part of the fight against this disease. I have worked with Mr. [Joseph] Harmon before and I was anxious to get started,” he said.

Archer will be assisting Harmon with the staffing of the NTCF Secretariat so that it can be functional in the shortest possible time.

On Saturday, the trio visited the National Gymnasium which will now be used as a storage, packaging and distribution centre for the items currently stored in containers at the CDC’s offices.

“COVID-19 is a global pandemic which requires the highest level of attention. The NTCF will be drawing on the experiences of a cadre of persons who are well poised to help Guyana fight the disease,” the MOTP stated.