Col. Wilbert Lee heads GDF’s promotions

Last Updated on Tuesday, 27 January 2015, 18:48 by GxMedia

COS Brig Mark Phillips decorates newly promoted Col Wilbert Lee with his new badge of rank.

Colonel Wilbert Lee heads the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) promotions list for 2015, according to a release by the army.

In accordance with the Defence Act Chapter 15:01 of 1977, Guyana Defence Force Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips, has announced that His Excellency, the President and Commander-in-Chief, has approved the promotions of 83 Officers and 436 Other Ranks effective from January 1, 2015.

The Force has made history this year with the largest recorded number of Officers being promoted to the rank of Colonel at the same time. Leading that list is Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Lee, Base Commander of Base Camp Stephenson, who was promoted to the rank of Substantive Colonel. It is also the first time in the Force’s history that four female officers were promoted collectively in the senior officers’ bracket.

Lieutenant Colonels Jawahar Persaud, Cargill Kyte, Patrick West, Nazrul Hussain, Ann McLennan and Lieutenant Colonel Paul Arthur were promoted to the rank of Acting Colonel. Commander Gary Beaton, who heads the Force’s Coast Guard will now wear the rank of Acting Captain Coast Guard, the equivalent to Acting Colonel.

Acting Lieutenant Colonels Dwain Jervis, Trevor Bowman and Kenlloyd Roberts were confirmed in their rank while Majors Collin Henry, Mark Thomas, Courtney Byrne, Natasha Stanford and Lorraine Foster have been promoted to the rank of Acting Lieutenant Colonel.

Ten Majors, have been confirmed in their rank, while Substantive Captains Tyrone Smith, Marvin Chichester, Lancelot Lynch, Christine Bradford-Porter, Lloyd Glen, Clifton Sam and Nigel Langhorne have been promoted to Acting Major. Nine Acting Captains, including one female, are now confirmed in their rank, while 14 Substantive Lieutenants have been promoted to the rank of Acting Captain with effect from January 1, 2015. 

Eight Acting Lieutenants have been promoted to Substantive Lieutenant, while six  Second Lieutenants have been promoted to Acting Lieutenants.

In the Coast Guard, Acting Commander (CG) Orin Porter, Acting Lieutenant Commander (CG) Roger Nurse as well as Acting Lieutenant Paul Castello, have been confirmed in their rank while Substantive Sub Lieutenants Shennel Europe, Raul Williams, Quincy Agard and Andre Kwang been promoted to Acting Lieutenants (CG).

Five Acting Sub Lieutenants have been confirmed in their rank and Midshipman Eweart Andrews is now an Acting Sub Lieutenant.

Meanwhile four hundred and thirty-sixty Other Ranks have been promoted. Of this number, 96 have been confirmed in their rank while 272 have been elevated in rank. Heading this group are Warrant Officers Class Two Marlon Daniels and Raul Rodney who have been promoted to Acting Warrant Officers Class One.

Warrant Officers Class Two; Marvin Pilgrim, Sekou Mitchell, Christopher Harmon, Bryan Ferdinand, Ray Herman, Andre Worrell, Wilfred Semple and Selwyn Douglas were confirmed in their appointment. The remaining 253 Other Ranks were promoted through ranks ranging from Acting Warrant Officer Class Two, to Acting Lance Corporal.

Other promotions in the Coast Guard saw Acting Senior Petty Officer Wayne Nurse  being elevated in rank to Substantive Senior Petty Officer . Meanwhile, three Acting Petty Officers were confirmed in their rank while seven Substantive Leading Ratings are now Acting Petty Officers. Four Acting Leading Ratings are now confirmed in their rank. Additionally, six Substantive Able Ratings have been promoted to Acting leading Ratings while eleven Acting Able ratings have been confirmed in their rank. Ordinary Ratings Vinton Blair , Denwin Adams and Quincy Burton have been promoted to Substantive Able Ratings and ten other Ordinary Ratings have been elevated to the rank of Acting Able Rating.

At a simple yet significant Badging Ceremony held this afternoon, the newly promoted Senior Officers were decorated with their new badges of rank by the Chief-Of-Staff, who was assisted by Colonel Administration and Quartering , Captain Coast Guard, John Flores. The Officers were congratulated by the other Senior Officers present and the recently promoted Majors were welcomed to the Corps of Senior Officers. In brief remarks Brigadier Phillips pointed out that promotion recognises all Officers and Other Ranks for their performance, professionalism and service within and outside of the GDF. To this end, he referred to Colonels Jawahar Persaud and Ann Mc Lennan who hold other positions outside of the GDF but in continued service to the Country. Persaud is the current Accountant General while McLennan is a sitting Magistrate.

He alluded to the efforts being made by the Officers towards the development of the Guyana Defence Force and called for continued professional service to the country.

The Commander-in-Chief and Chief-of-Staff have extended congratulations to all the newly promoted Officers and Other Ranks.