Soldier in promotions row, to return next week
Stabroek News
May 15, 2003
Captain David Clarke, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) officer in the midst of the promotion controversy, is expected back in Guyana on May 24, reportedly by order of his Commander-in-Chief, President Bharrat Jagdeo.
The Office of the President has not commented on the matter and has referred Stabroek News to the army. No army official has agreed to go on record on the matter.
To date, no reason has been given for Clarke's recall from the five-month programme in the United States, which the army sent him on in February. The officer, who was in charge of Camp Buxton until recently, was the only person denied a promotion this year, and to date, no reason has been given.
Sources say that Clarke's case marked the first time in the history of the army that an officer's name was struck from the list of promotions after it had been submitted to the Office of the President. Also, senior army sources said, in the case of overseas training, except for officers of the rank of Colonel and above, the convention is that the selection is made at the level of the GDF, with the final authority from the President.
Army sources said after the promotion list, minus Clarke's name, was returned to army Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Michael Atherly earlier this year, the President only said that there was "something" that caused the officer not to be promoted. Then the GDF went ahead and sent Clarke on a training course in the US, for which he is qualified. But two weeks ago, the Chief-of-Staff got a call requesting to know where Clarke was and was told to have him returned [to Guyana], one source said.
Stabroek News understands that Clarke was stationed at Camp Buxton following the launch of Operation Tourniquet. He reportedly left the area sometime late last year.
Clarke was recommended for promotion after a promotions panel chaired by Chief of Staff Atherly, approved the recommendation of Clarke's battalion commander. The battalion commander's recommendation was based on Clarke's attitude and performance in his substantive rank, his suitability for promotion to a higher rank and authority as well as his suitability for retention in the army.
