In the future the Guyana Defence Force will see a significant improvement of the capabilities of its technical corps.
This is according to President David Granger, who told reporters on Friday that he believes Guyana’s military strength lies in the quality of its manpower.
“A lot of emphasis is being placed on training. We intend to put more emphasis on our technical corps: our air, coastguard and engineer corps,” the President said.
The former brigadier general and present Commander in Chief explained, “We have a big country to patrol, to secure and there must be improvement in aviation and in our maritime assets.”
He however noted that for the present all expenses must be kept within budgetary limits.
Expressing his preference for a strong reserve and small well trained force, Granger explained that his vision for the GDF includes an “engineer corps which will be able to participate in infrastructure projects for the development of the interior regions and an air corps which can continue its tradition of search and rescue and the provision of medical casualty evacuation.”
The President explained that the present reserve force is a mere fraction of what it was at the height of its strength.
He explained that the Guyana’s People’s Militia was created in 1976 as a semi-autonomous body. However, for unknown reasons the name was changed and the militia was subordinated to the regular force as an infantry battalion. After this subordination the numbers within the force declined to one tenth of what it was.
He explained that he has had discussion with Brigadier Mark Phillips and efforts are being made to rebuild the militia so that it will be much stronger.
