His firm pledge came as the GDF formally opened a month-long programme to observe its 40th anniversary with a religious service at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown.

Brigadier Collins declared that in its 40 years, “our army has proven itself on countless missions as democracy’s best friend and oppression’s worst foe.”

The Army deployed troops with the Police Force in the massive Joint Services anti-crime `Operation Stiletto’ launched last week in Buxton to snare criminals and illegal arms and ammunition and is continuing in the joint campaign.

Collins said that even as the GDF celebrates, “we are continuing to review our doctrine, looking for new methods and operating procedures to meet the needs of the current and future strategic environment.”

He noted that the environment is “punctuated by our people’s plea for safety from danger and disaster, as national security is threatened by the wanton committal of crime.”

He referred to concerns that crimes, and many of the economic and social ills, are rooted in the narco trade with some seeing Guyana as a place where money talks down to the law.

“What a feeling of hopelessness and doom on our birthday”, he said but declared “we cannot give in.”

“Daily, we must find the courage and strength, which at one and the same time are the objective of tough training and the result of thorough preparation and planning, to continue on the path already undertaken by the Joint Services.”

“I, therefore, call upon all serving members to join with me in affirming that the Guyana Defence Force is not going to be one of those institutions to be encircled”, Collins said.

“Additionally, as an endorsement of the writer’s view that only a pro-active, courageous and co-ordinated approach from all stakeholders will stop the slide into narco-anarchy and the end of Guyana's last chance at becoming an ordered society, I again call upon you to let us band together this day and pledge to give our people some hope.”

Noting that the Army’s anniversary theme is `Ready and relevant with discipline and tolerance, essential qualities for defending and deepening democracy in Guyana’, Collins said these qualities are indeed “crucial in ensuring understanding and harmony among the ranks of the force - both past and present, regular and reserve - among the national institutions and certainly among the peoples in the society.”

He said that since its birth on November 1, 1965 - just about seven months before Guyana gained its Independence from the British - the GDF has played a “vital role in the growth and development of our nation.”

“From regaining Guyana’s territory in an innovatively tough fight, to preserving Guyana’s integrity through the tortuous struggle in putting down an ill-conceived rebellion farther south, our citizens can draw great satisfaction from knowing that whenever the nation was in need, our Army answered the call and continues to do so today with aplomb!”, he declared.

Among those at the service were acting President Samuel Hinds, Home Affairs Minister Gail Teixeira and Opposition and People’s National Congress Reform Leader Robert Corbin.

Buxton bandits were tipped off
-- Luncheon
By Neil Marks
A SENIOR government official yesterday said a sustained, long term intervention to keep the East Coast Demerara village of Buxton secure and free of fear is being planned, given that a 400-strong contingent of Army and Police failed to find criminals and illegal weapons and ammunition since news of the Joint Services anti-crime operation was evidently leaked.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Secretary to the Cabinet, Dr Roger Luncheon, said it is fairly obvious that “once timely advised” at the onset of the exercise dubbed `Operation Stiletto’, the criminals removed to other places not yet known.

“Most Guyanese recognise that nothing short of a fixed continuous presence is going to ensure consistency in the removal/absence of criminal elements in the village,” Luncheon told reporters at his weekly post-Cabinet media briefing.

The soldiers and policemen pulled together for `Operation Stiletto’, swooped on Buxton on October 24 and set up camp for a major onslaught on criminal elements and weapons they possessed.

But they moved out of the village Tuesday, without any weapons find or the arrest of dangerous criminals save for one who was wanted on a murder charge.

However, though the Joint Services does not have a fixed presence in Buxton, regular day and night patrols are continuing and with quick response back up units on standby in case of any eventualities.

Luncheon said the Joint Services are working together to put together a long term series of interventions to make Buxton a community free of fear.

With the criminals in Buxton being “very mobile” and able to run with their light arms when tipped off, he said it is becoming more and more evident that a consistent law enforcement intervention is necessary so as to respond to acts of criminality when these occur and to establish Buxton as a village where “the normal activities of living can go on.”

The camp for ‘Operation Stiletto’ at the Friendship Community Centre Ground has been dismantled, but Joint Services spokesman, Assistant Superintendent of Police John Sauers said patrols by the Army and Police would not only be by night, but by day as well, and this will be continuous.

The people of Buxton, whom Minister of Home Affairs Gail Teixeira said have lived under siege in the three years the criminals occupied the village after the February 23, 2002 Georgetown prison break when five dangerous men escaped, need not panic, a security official said, noting that soldiers and police “in numbers” are on standby.

Friday, November 04, 2005