– Guyana hosts Caribbean Women, Peace and Security Conference
– ‘Take up army posts’ – visiting US Lady General urges women

WOMEN ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) have recently been given the opportunity to serve at Guyana’s borders as the GDF has taken steps to facilitate better participation of female army ranks.

This was revealed by the army’s Chief of Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess during a joint press conference with General Laura Richardson, Commander of the United States of America (US)’s Southern Command on Tuesday which was held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel.

Bess, during the media engagement, said that as Chief of Staff, he will continue to champion for women in the GDF and the joint service to have their rightful places. He said that they have recognised that in Guyana women step up to the challenge.

Over the last year, he said, for the first time in the country, female soldiers have been allowed to serve on the borders.
He revealed that during this time, the Force has had more than 50 per cent of the female soldiers rotating to the borders even as he mentioned that the deployments have all been successful.

In this regard, he stated that these ranks have been deployed to the borders at Lethem in Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo), and Mabaruma in Region One (Barima-Waini).
At any one time, there are approximately 12 female ranks working along with male counterparts at the borders.

Additionally, the Chief of Staff mentioned that over the last three months, the Force has had female soldiers participate and complete the infantry rifleman course which was renamed to “infantry soldier course.”
“In the Guyana Defence Force, our females are well prepared for the challenges and we have, throughout our leadership structure, females at all levels,” Bess said.

At the same time, this information was disclosed as Guyana is currently hosting the Women Peace and Security conference in collaboration with the United States Embassy.
Speaking of the conference, General Richardson said that it is good to have this important conference hosted by Guyana as Brigadier Bess has been a leader in this regard.

She mentioned that the changes and policies that have been put in place to integrate women into the defence forces have been game changing.
Richardson, who is the second four-star lady general in the United States Army, said that it is time for more women to hold high ranks within security forces.

“I think that women and our military services and our security forces and our defence forces make our forces stronger, makes them better.
“It gives a different perspective on how to tackle the really hard, complex, challenging threats that are out there,” she said.

As the Conference opened on Monday, Bess stated that the GDF stands fully behind the agenda of the conference. Approximately 14 nations are participating in the conference.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Chief of Staff said that panel discussions included panellists such as Guyana’s acting Chief Justice, Roxane George; the first female Chief of Defence in the Caribbean, Rear Admiral Antonette Wemyss Gorman of the Jamaica Defence Force, along with General Richardson.

Meanwhile, during the joint press conference, Richardson, when asked about her encouragement to women to join the armed forces, said “You can’t be what you can’t see.”
As such, she noted that it is important to see women in roles that are deemed non-traditional while adding that it is also important to highlight the opportunities that are there for women.
“There are many things that women can do in Guyana in the defence force and so I think it’s a matter of highlighting… all the opportunities that are available,” Richardson said.