PRESIDENT David Granger recently delivered the feature address at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Officers conference. The address was the first of its kind given by any President of Guyana and it was a clear and brilliant exposition of Guyana’s National Defence Policy.
He defined the policy as “A Defence Policy aimed at strengthening the Defence Force’s role in deterring aggression, defending the territory and promoting economic development…It implies that all instruments of national power — economic, military, political, social and technological will be employed in the interest of national security.”
The President gave examples of external aggression which the GDF had to deal with and these included the Rupununi Rebellion and Suriname’s attempt to occupy the New River Triangle. He also mentioned instances when Venezuela intruded into Guyana’s EEZ harassing boats engaged in oil exploration.
Defending the country against aggressive military incursions was not the only aggression the GDF has to deal with. In the President’s words… “illegal mining, illegal logging, illegal arms, narcotics, people and wildlife trafficking and the smuggling of precious metals have continued and have to stop. Citizens have been killed. Communities, particularly those living in our frontier villages, must be made safe from transnational crime.”
The President then dealt with defence reorganisation. Such reorganisation will consist of several elements which together will create a better organised, modern and stronger force: The reserve force, the Guyana People’s Militia, has been fast growing and in a short time it is expected to be 50% of the strength of the regular force. These reservists will maintain a permanent presence in every region.
The Guyana National Cadet Corps (GNCC) was resuscitated last year. Six schools in five Regions have so far participated. The Corps is aimed at enhancing skills and leadership abilities, building character and instilling the values and standards of civic responsibility among youth. The President himself and several other top brass of the GDF were members of the Queen’s College Cadet Corps.
In addition to reorganising the Marine Corps, the President touched on what is being done in the Air Corps, the Intelligence Corps and the Engineer Corps. In the President’s words: “The Air Corps fleet was last year augmented with the acquisition of light reconnaissance aircraft. Light transport aircraft are to be procured this year, 2019. The Intelligence Corps and the Signal Corps have been reformed to enhance surveillance and communications. The personnel strength of the Intelligence Corps has been increased. The Signal Corps has benefitted from the acquisition of new radio equipment and personnel training.
The Engineer Corps received equipment to increase the force’s agility, improve its responsiveness to eliminate climate hazards, promote greater stability among frontline communities and foster defence cooperation. The Engineer Corps in 2018 worked alongside the Brazilian army’s Sixth Batalhao de Engenharia de Construcao to drill wells in the Rupununi region….The force is set to improve its physical infrastructure, to acquire drones for border surveillance, inshore patrol vessels and engineering and transport equipment.”
The President then pointed to some on-going operations which are an integral part of the defence policy. These are the “Frontline village policy” where the Defence Force continues to cooperate with frontier villages to protect our national territory and national resources and repel threats to human safety. Referring to other operations, the President mentioned “Operation Armadillo to respond to threats posed by criminal gangs along our borders and to protect frontline villages . . . The operation resulted in a reduction of reports of attacks by foreign ‘Sindicatos.’
Operation Ocean Guard exercised continuous aerial and maritime surveillance of our coastline and territorial waters . . . It resulted in a decrease in incidents of piracy and decrease of contraband smuggling and drug and people trafficking. Exercises Greenheart and Ironweed will be modified to emphasise importance of long-range jungle patrols.”
Dovetailing with the Defence Force Policy is the continuance and strengthening of cooperation with friendly countries and the great social benefit of national integration strengthening national unity. This publication sees President Granger’s National Defence Policy as creating an army which is efficient, educated, well-equipped and modern and though small, would be able to successfully meet external and internal threats and to encourage help and cooperation from friendly countries.
