Army welcomes DFC probe, expects enhanced capability
Guyana Chronicle
January 16, 2004
THE COMMISSION investigating the country's disciplined services yesterday checked out the operations of the Guyana Defence Force's Coast Guard and Air Corps as part of its Army probe.
During a morning visit to the Coast Guard base at Ruimveldt, Georgetown, the Commission was briefed on the status of the unit and addressed issues of concern.
Commander Terrence Pyle said the focus was on whether the unit had the material and human resources capacity to discharge its mandate.
Pyle said the establishment of the Commission, which wrapped up public hearings into the Police, Army and Prison and Fire Services early December, was good.
"We believe that only good can come out of it for the disciplined services. It's good that after many years, someone is reviewing what we're doing. We therefore expect that the recommendations that this Commission will make will...enhance the capability, the performance and the efficiency of the disciplined services," Pyle commented.
The Commission's members completed the visit with an extensive tour of the Coast Guard's 'GDFS Essequibo' flagship.
They subsequently flew to the Air Corps base at Timehri, where they were given a detailed briefing on that unit's structure and operations by Commanding Officer, Colonel George Lewis, Major Michael Charles and Major Cargill Kyte.
The officers told the Commission that the retention of pilots and engineers in a very competitive market is a major problem, as well as meeting maintenance costs, which increase as aircraft age.
Charles said the unit has 12 pilots but needs 12 more to meet its required strength, reporting that more than 75 per cent of those trained over the last 18 years have left.
He urged a "serious decision" to arrest the situation to enable the Air Corps to continue meeting its mandate.
Charles said that the Air Corps was expecting more Government funding to allow it to move ahead with training, indicating need for fixed and rotor wing training aircraft, which will allow for a smoother, safer transition to larger types.
The Commission discussed ways to halting what one member called a "haemorrhage" of pilots; how successfully the unit was fulfilling its role in the face of resource limitations and the need for aerial surveillance in light of increased illegal border activities.
The need for a Ministry of Defence, which has been requested by the Army in its main submission to the Commission, was also raised.
On the visits yesterday were Commission Chairman, Appeal Court Judge, Ian Chang, Brigadier (ret'd) David Granger, Attorney-at-Law, Anil Nandlall, Professor Harold Lutchman, Legal Advisor, Bertlyn Reynolds and Secretary, Gino Persaud.
The Commission is to make site visits to prisons around the country and the Guyana Fire Service headquarters in Georgetown as it prepares to write its report to be submitted in March. It has already presented to the National Assembly, a preliminary report on the investigation into the Guyana Police Force. (Nivedta Kowlessar).