Multitude of charges coming over stolen AK 47s
-Chief of Staff
Stabroek News
December 21, 2006
Colonel Lawrence Paul (c) took a timeout at Soldiers Day to pose with four of the ladies in the Miss GDF Pageant slated to be held on February 9 at Base Camp Ayanganna. From left are: Latoya Henry (Ms. Ordinance Corps), Daphne McCurchin (Ms. G2 Branch), N
This year was a challenging one during which the army faced and overcame a number of embarrassments caused by the misconduct of ranks and several persons are to face a multitude of charges over the 30 stolen AK-47s.
These were the words of Chief of Staff Edward Collins at the Guyana Defence Force's (GDF) traditional 'Soldiers Day' hosted at Base Camp Stephenson, Timehri. On Soldiers Day Officers of the GDF serve their juniors to show appreciation for the work done during the year.
Collins said "nevertheless the army never stopped fighting and the challenges galvanized us." He told the gathering of soldiers that they were able to regroup quickly and respond to the threat. He stated that the threats posed by enemies of the state were however quelled by the army working together with other armed services, putting them in a position to secure citizens as they go about there daily lives.
The efforts of the Joint Services, he said, had promoted a renewed level of camaraderie among the various forces. He expressed gratitude at the smooth running off of the national elections.
The Chief of Staff later told reporters that the army was still coming to grips with recovering the 30 AK 47s stolen from it during the year. Among the difficulties faced by the army in their investigation of the missing weapons said Collins was, "knowing exactly where they are and how to recover them and some of the information we received turned out to be not as valid as it seemed."
However, Collins said "we do not become disheartened, we still continue to maintain that resolve, we were in operation since February up to this time and we are not giving up. We will do everything that is in our power at the present moment to ensure those weapons are recovered. We're not giving them up ... as we speak there is still work going on." Less than a third of the weapons have been retrieved.
He went on further to note that an internal inquiry has been completed and charges will be laid. "We are satisfied we have been able to find people whose negligence contributed" to the debacle and they would be charged.
Collins said that though three or four persons would be charged, who removed the weapons still remains a mystery. "There are a multitude of charges as several things went wrong and those who were culpable would have to answer but exactly who picked the weapons up and moved them we do not have that information as yet."
Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon who sat in for the Commander-in-Chief and President, Bharrat Jagdeo told the soldiers that in the administration the army is seen as an institution first among many in Guyana. This is so Luncheon said because it has held the position with consistency by standing its ground and making contributions.
"You have withstood challenges and lived up to the expectations of the administration, Guyanese people and yourselves," he said. The Cabinet Head also took time out to exhort the soldiers to do more and better in the performance of their duties during the coming year.
The President, Luncheon told the soldiers, hinted strongly to the administration that he wanted to reward the soldiers with their now traditional tax-free bonuses. However the Cabinet Head said he would not want to take up the role of the Commander-in-Chief by making such an announcement and would therefore wait on him to do so. (Christopher Yaw)