With Guyana moving along the path of development and still facing security threats, President, Irfaan Ali is recommitting the country as one that supports peace over conflict.

In his address to the opening of the annual Guyana Defence Force Officers Conference, President Ali reminded that that unlike any region in the world, the Caribbean and the Latin America region has maintained a fair amount of peace and on that backdrop, Guyana supports the continuation of peace in the region.

“We will support every effort to ensure that this region remains a region of peace. We will partner with every single strategic partner that we have to ensure that regions remain peaceful and to ensure that our territorial integrity and security remains intact but that partnership cannot and will not remain a one-way street.  It requires of strategic partners also to work closely to us in designing an overarching strategy in which all nations in this region must feel that they are a part of this strategy” President Ali said.

The President said there must be a way forward to ensuring that the threats to national and regional security are addressed.

He said Guyana’s plan is to engage countries of the region more to strengthen relations and intelligence cooperation.

“Guyana will continue to promote friendly relations with other countries and their Defence Forces, but I am aware that they are mischievous elements who wish to involve Guyana in geopolitical conflicts; Guyana has no intention to become a part of this. We cherish deeply our friendship and partnership with our strategic partners and our alliances.”

With the support needed from everyone, the President said the GDF will be called upon to play a greater role in maintaining peace.

“In all our plans, we have to create a nimble structure that is knowledge-based, that is high on technology. If you look at the UAE and how they are developing a defence strategy with the use of technology against different threats whether it’s anti-terrorism measures, whether it’s dealing with drug trafficking. How do we build technology and what are the gaps in doing so”, President Ali said.

He also insisted that the GDF looks at its gaps and fill them to make the Force more responsive to development needs.

Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Godfrey Bess assured the President that the GDF will support all defence initiatives to protect Guyana and aid in its continued development.

“As a Force, we must ensure that we have the capacity and capabilities…I wish to reiterate to your Excellency, that the vision for the transformation of Guyana Defence Force, the transformation policy you have embarked on, is there to revolutionize the Defence Force”   

The Chief of Staff welcomed the Government’s support for further equipping the GDF on various levels to be in a better position to do its job.

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