GDF building capacity to defend territorial integrity – Pres. Granger

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President David Granger has announced that the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is in the process of building its capacity to defend the country’s territorial integrity and protect citizens.

In his address to the nation in observance of Guyana’s 48th Republic Anniversary, President Granger explained that the safety of the citizens is of paramount importance to the State as he underscored the importance of the international community in the process.

“Guyana looks forward to the intensification of cooperation with friendly, foreign states, especially in building capacity for the Defence Force’s technical corps to improve the national infrastructure in every part of the country, to defend our territorial integrity, to protect our citizens and to respond to emergencies,” the Head of State stated.

President Granger added: “international cooperation is essential to preserving this continent as a zone of peace; to preventing and interdicting transnational threats such as drugs, gun, and human-trafficking, the spread of contagious diseases, terrorism and to mitigating the adverse effects of climate change and natural hazards.”

Already, 24-hour security by the GDF has been established in the village of Kaikan, located in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni (Region Seven), which a stone’s throw away from the border with Venezuela.

A statement from the Ministry of the Presidency (MotP) said the 24-hour security was necessitated by the situation in neighbouring Venezuela and escalated by the age-old border controversy, which was recently referred to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by the United Nations.

Additionally, the GDF established a new patrol base in the community of Whitewater, Barima-Waini (Region One) following security concerns as a result of the economic crisis facing Venezuela.

According to President Granger, as Guyana moves closer towards a juridical settlement of the territorial controversy with Venezuela, all of Guyana should be on board to defend “our motherland”.

“We, Guyanese, intend to pursue our case before the ICJ in coming months with the same determination as we rejected the unwarranted claim to our territory in past years. We are confident that our cause is just and our case is sound. We are committed to defending our motherland,” he stated.

President Granger said as Guyanese celebrate the country’s 48th republic anniversary, they should be happy that efforts to defend their homeland have not been in vain.

He explained that “We, Guyanese, in the exercise of our sovereignty, are defending the Republic. We are protecting our patrimony. We are ensuring that future generations will be able to inherit this beautiful country, to live in peace and to enjoy the good life and prosperity which this bountiful country has to offer.”