GDF engineers critical to Guyana’s infrastructure development – President Ali

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Dr Irfaan Ali, on Wednesday met with members of the Guyana Defence Force Engineering Corps to further discuss their role in national development.

During the engagement, held at State House, President Ali pointed to the critical role the GDF would play in the country’s infrastructure transformation through the implementation of infrastructure projects within communities across the country. He also reiterated that the engagement was a very important step in examining how the Armed Forces can become more integrally involved, and how their services can be utilised at the community level.
“Your involvement in community projects will help the communities to see the army in a different light. It will also have a meaningful, multifaceted impact on every segment of society,” President Ali said.

Meanwhile, Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Godfrey Bess, and Brigadier Gary Beaton used the opportunity to express the Force’s commitment to implementing the identified projects which are central to the development of the country. Among them were the construction of community roads, the building of bridges, and the construction and enhancement of community grounds.
The Head of State was joined at Wednesday’s meeting by several Government Ministers, including Local Government Minister Nigel Dharamlall; Public Works Ministers Juan Edghill and Deodat Indar; Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Charles Ramson Jr; and Advisor to the President on National Security, Captain Gerry Gouveia.
In recent years, Guyana’s military has seen a boost in its technical corps, which comprises of the Engineer Corps, Air Corps, Intelligence Corps, and Signal Corps, as well as the Coast Guard.
Only in August 2019, a group of 11 soldiers received five-year scholarships to the People’s Republic of China to further their studies. The 11 Second Lieutenants are pursuing studies in the fields of Industrial, Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering; Computer Science and Technology; Industrial, Electronic Information Engineering; Mechatronic Engineering; Bio-engineering; Aeronautical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering and Technology.
Prior to this, the army received a donation of equipment from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) back in April 2017 to enhance its infrastructural development mandate. The donated items consisted of 31 pieces of equipment, including patrol boats, bulldozers, one excavator, water tankers, fuel tankers, tipper trucks, off-road ambulances, and several other vehicles. The PLA had also brought in a team of technical and military officers to train GDF troops on the operation of the equipment.
Guyana has been embarking on several initiatives to boost the capacity and capability of its Disciplines Forces.
In fact, at a GDF badging ceremony several weeks ago, President Ali promised to transform the army into a more community-oriented body intended to play a bigger role in the development of Guyana.
The President had noted that the PPP/C Government would like to make the military more community-oriented, engaged, and aligned with national development goals, particularly as Guyana continues to emerge as an oil economy.
“Guyanese must not only see these distinguished men and women in uniform as just members of the Army. They must see you as a key and integral part of [the] development, of their community and national development. Our military is blessed with great men and women, with tremendous skill sets and experience and the know-how. The time has come for us to harness this great potential in our military to uplift and build communities all across the country,” the Head of State had said.
President Ali had also pointed out that with the oil and gas sector, new security challenges and new border challenges, the military has to, and must, play a key role in the emerging needs of our country. (G8)