Army seeking recruits for Coast Guard
- Commander Pyle
Stabroek News
January 25, 2004
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is seeking to recruit more people to serve in the Coast Guard, which is understaffed by one-third of its required complement, Commander Terrence Pyle says. Pyle told the Disciplined Forces Commission recently that to fill the vacancies, the Coast Guard will acquire between 22 to 25 men each year from the army's annual recruitment. He also said two officers would be selected and trained as naval officers.
Pyle says that staffing vessels is also a problem, particularly given the Coast Guard's other responsibilities. He cited Operation Tourniquet in 2002, mounted amidst the crime wave, as an exercise that left the Coast Guard short of staff to man the ships. Pyle said the GDF flagship, GDFS Essequibo, is currently undermanned. And although the crew should be rotated, there is no relief crew.
However, while considering the current attrition rate, Pyle said that with continuous recruitment the deficit should be erased within the next five years. But he noted that the retention of recruits is also a difficulty, although that could be addressed by the provision of adequate remuneration, which is one of the general recommendations of the GDF to the commission.
"[Otherwise] as soon as they are trained sufficiently enough to survive outside the GDF, they leave," Pyle said.
"They leave at all levels. In the Coast Guard and in the Air Corps [these are] the more difficult areas to retain technical staff," army Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Michael Atherly added. The commission was established to enquire into the operations of the Disciplined Forces and to make recommendations to the National Assembly for their reform and sustained professional development.
Justice of Appeal Ian Chang is chairman of the commission which includes former Attorney General Charles Ramson, SC; former National Security Adviser Brigadier (rtd) David Granger, former University of Guyana vice-chancellor Professor Harold Lutchman and attorney Anil Nandlall.
Lutchman is the newest appointee to the commission, replacing Irish Human Rights activist Maggie Beirne, who resigned after the commission completed its work on the police force.