At handing over of baton...
Former Chief of Staff calls for new national security strategy
by Chamanlall Naipaul
Guyana Chronicle
June 1, 2004
FORMER Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Brigadier Michael Atherly yesterday officially bid farewell to his troops and passed over the baton of command to his successor Major General Edward Orin Collins.
The twin event took place at the traditional ceremony preceded by the usual marches characterized by military pomp, sophistry and precision at Army headquarters, Camp Ayanganna, Thomas Lands.
Delivering his farewell address Brigadier Atherly observed that in the face of globalization and the changes in security issues, it is necessary to formulate a national security strategy that utilizes a greater range of instruments of national power.
“It is essential, therefore, that we seek to formulate and implement a national security strategy that employs all instruments of national power in a more integrated way to meet the demanding challenge. In particular, the strategy will need to synthesize policies for guiding the economy and addressing the security environment,” Atherly exhorted.
The world is now faced with a dynamic and uncertain security environment, Atherly noted, pointing out that the existence of multiple super powers threatening of global war has decreased, and decisive solutions seldom come through the use of force.
Guyana has since adjusted its ideological outlook and has been encouraging representative democracy and free market economics, thereby creating new opportunities to enhance cooperation with other nations, particularly neighbouring countries that can result in the promotion of peace and prosperity for the Guyanese people, the former Chief of Staff observed.
But he offered that despite these positive signs the domestic and regional security situation remains unstable and uncertain.
“Fuelled by unsettled national borders, neighbouring countries still compete for scarce natural resources, threatening peace and security. Additionally the mixed and uneven effects of buttressing globalization now interact with old and new geopolitics aggravating old tensions in some cases,” Atherly contended.
He further noted that globalization has now become associated with the widening gap between rich and poor and with painful social upheavals in weak countries, arousing anger at industrialized countries and facilitates the growth of transnational crime.
In addition, in the context of Guyana internal ethnic insecurity and political instability restrict economic growth and magnify national security problems.
“These issues among others tell us why our traditional state mechanisms based on ideas of border integrity and order, internal law enforcement and establishments of power are beginning to appear under threat. Additionally constitutional weaknesses that hinder comprehensive responses to the changing nature of security challenges are now being apparent,” Atherly submitted.
He added: “This has already encouraged some degree of disenchantment with our old systems of ensuring public order and some other requirements of national security. We must guard against this situation perpetuating itself to consequences of bitter effect as already happened in other countries that experienced similar problems.”
The remedy of improved public confidence, intensification of intelligence-led activities and fostering inter-agency cooperation, which the internal crime wave has given impetus to need to go further and faster to meet the growing challenges, Atherly urged.
He called for law enforcement agencies to be upgraded with the latest developments in information technology available on the open market to the new age criminals, adding that if such and other weaknesses are left unchecked it could lead to the movement of real power beyond the confines of traditional holders and within the grasp of undesirables. “We must discourage any notion within national institutions of becoming increasingly swamped and impotent,” he cautioned.
Maritime focus is becoming increasingly important in strategic considerations, and while marine transportation remains the primary method of trade movement into and out of Guyana, the mining industry could produce an upsurge in commerce in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Atherly suggested, adding that inherent flexibility and adequate capabilities could result in the Coast Guard transformation from its routine constabulary duties to crisis response and countervailing military action.
Peaceful diplomatic and political efforts to solve maritime border issues must be supported by the minimum tactical Coast Guard capability required to underpin peaceful initiatives, the Brigadier advised.
Nevertheless, he advocated a pre-emptive approach rather a reactive one in diffusing emerging instability before it evolves into chaos requiring the use of force.
He also called for greater involvement of civilians in defence and strategic planning, opining that such an approach would serve everyone better including the military.
“A good civil/military relation is relevant to the promotion of democracy in Guyana. From independence to now national security and defence issues were generally left to the military and a small number of civilian policy makers,” Atherly declared.
The former Chief of Staff enlisted in the GDF on October 24, 1970 and became a Cadet Officer. Since then he successfully completed several military and management courses in the UK, US and Canada.
In recognition of his outstanding military service, Brigadier Atherly received several military awards including the Border Defence, Military Efficiency, Militrary Service, Military Service Star and the 25th Anniversary Medals.
Atherly also represented Guyana in rugby and volley-ball.
The new Chief of Staff Brigadier Edward Collins who hails from West Berbice did military and other training in China, US, UK and Canada and is the recipient of the Border defence, the Military Efficiency, the Military Service and the 25th Anniversary Medals.
Brigadier Collins also commanded the CARICOM military contingent to Haiti from March-September 1995.
The change of command yesterday is the fifth one in the history of the GDF. The preceding Chief of Staffs being Colonel Ronald Pope (British), Brigadier Clarence Price, Brigadier Norman McLean, Brigadier Joseph Singh and Brigadier Michael Atherly.