As is customary, all members of the Joint Services, in addition to receiving their five per cent increase, will also benefit from a one month tax-free Christmas bonus.
The announcement was made by commander-in-chief of the armed forces, President Donald Ramotar on Friday at Camp Ayanganna, when he and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds joined members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) for their annual Christmas luncheon.
The announcement was received with loud cheers, more so, when the president said that he had advised the finance minister to make the payment before Christmas Day.
President Ramotar said that he was hopeful that the bonus will contribute to the officers enjoying the holidays, and that they can begin the new year fully refreshed and hopefully reinvigorated to carry out their work.
He noted that serving in the Joint Services is a “noble way” to serve the country, and for that, all Guyanese are grateful.
The president also expressed the view that greater emphasis must be placed on training and professionalism in the army.
Changing world
“The world is changing scientifically,… and therefore it becomes imperative that we train our force to make it even more disciplined and professional and with all the other disciplines that are necessary to create a modern army,” he said.
He advised that the training not be limited to military life but must also to support life after the army. “So when our soldiers would have left the army, they can continue to make a valuable contribution to development of the country, by acquiring skills and by lifting their educational standards within the Guyana Defence Force,” he said.
Investment
President Ramotar also called on the soldiers to take care with the equipment supplied to the army. He pointed out that government spends millions on the equipment to ensure the army remains efficient and effective, and damaging these only places greater demand on the finite resources available to government that could have been expended elsewhere, bringing greater service to the people.
Army Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Mark Phillips noted that 2013 was a good year for the army. He described it as one where the officers and ranks continue to serve Guyana, defend and maintain law and order, the Constitution and the way of life, and protect the national interest.
This is Brigadier Phillip’s first luncheon as chief-of-staff with the soldiers, having been appointed to the position in September. He said the change has been seamless and the force remains a professional organisation.
