President Ali: Defence system must be flexible, nimble and relevant

The nation’s defence system must remain “flexible,” “nimble,” and “relevant” to safeguard national development in an evolving security landscape, said President Dr Irfaan Ali.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces issued the charge on Thursday at the Annual Officers Conference at Camp Ayanganna, urging the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) to undertake continuous strategic transformation to meet modern security threats and protect national development.
“Yes, we celebrate our accomplishments, but we now must define the next phase of this journey,” he told senior officers attending the conference at Base Camp Ayanganna.
President Ali emphasised that defence can no longer be viewed in isolation, pointing out that the GDF’s mandate now extends to protecting national policies critical to development. He noted that Guyana has moved ahead of many regional peers in this approach.
He outlined a specific framework—partnership, priority, position, and policy—to guide the next phase of the force’s journey. Partnerships must be integrated and coordinated within national policy, questioning how the defence mechanism aligns with national assets and challenges.
“Where do we want our people to be positioned? Is our Coast Guard appropriately headquartered in this modern era of defence, and what is needed for the future? These are the questions we must confront and adapt to in a new environment,” he stressed.
At the heart of a modern force are its people. President Ali warned that training must anticipate future challenges rather than reacting to past ones, asking, “What are we training for? Today or tomorrow?”
He noted that defence personnel must be prepared for shifts in migration and culture, stating that GDF training must extend beyond purely military priorities. To support this, he called for a clear gap analysis over the next 15 to 20 years to ensure that people, capability, and capacity are properly aligned.
The Commander-in-Chief outlined a significant expansion of traditional defence domains to include the economy, ecology, and environment.
He raised concerns about protecting telecommunications and technological infrastructure, including undersea cables, describing them as central to Guyana’s economic well-being.
At the same time, he highlighted Guyana’s leadership on environmental issues, referencing the country’s role in advancing the Global Biodiversity Alliance (GBA). The UK, Belize, and Panama recently signed onto the GBA, which was launched in Georgetown by the President last year.
“This shows that our defence architecture goes beyond tradition,” the President said. “We must now demonstrate, in line with these national and international priorities, what our defence system will look like regarding our ecology, biodiversity, and environment, because we are positioning this country and economy in that sphere.”
The President announced a strategic shift towards technology-driven defence, including artificial intelligence (AI) and enhanced intelligence capabilities.
He disclosed that defence structures would be adjusted to reflect new priorities involving AI, technology, and modern defence assets, describing this area as “the most important branch of the future.”
“We have to develop our in-house AI and train it with the right data and information to be the right tool for our defence system. We cannot tiptoe around this issue,” he stressed.
He also emphasised the importance of domain awareness in protecting critical national assets, referencing recent acts of terrorism as evidence of evolving threats.
President Ali told officers that responsibility, reliability, and readiness must define the GDF, particularly in building trust with international partners.
“Our partners must know we are reliable in defending democracy, the rule of law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” he emphasised.
He reminded officers that decisions made at the conference would affect every level of the Defence Force, placing a heavy responsibility on leadership.
The conference is being held under the theme: “Transforming the Force to Better Confront the Nation’s Present and Future Challenges by Enhancing its Awareness, Adaptability and Agility Capabilities.”
Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, also delivered remarks at the conference.
Among those in attendance were Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips; Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh; Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond; Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hickens; Chief Fire Officer, Gregory Wickham; Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliot; Head of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), James Singh; and Director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), Colonel Sheldon Howell, among others. (DPI)