Chief of Defence Staff (Guyana)

Last updated

Chief of Defence Staff
Flag of the Guyana Defence Force.svg
Flag of the Guyana Defence Force
Brig Omar Khan 2023 (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Brigadier Omar Khan
since 28 April 2023
Reports to President of Guyana
FormationMay 1967
First holderRonald Pope

The Chief of Defence Staff is the professional head of the Guyana Defence Force. He is responsible for the administration and the operational control of the military of Guyana. The current Chief of Defence Staff is Brigadier Omar Khan.

Contents

The office was officially known as the 'Chief of Staff' until 2024 when the Defence (Amendment) Act 2024 was passed giving effect to the new name of the office.

List of officeholders

Chief of Staff (1967–2024)

No.PortraitName
(birth–death)
Term of officeRef.
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Colonel
Ronald Pope
May 1967March 19691 year, 10 months [1]
2 Brigadier
Clarence Price
(1922–?)
March 196912 July 197910 years, 4 months [2]
3 Major general
Norman Gordon Mc Lean
(born 1935)
12 July 1979March 199010 years, 7 months [3]
4 Maj. Gen. Retd Joseph Singh (cropped).jpg Major general
Joseph Singh
(born 1945)
March 1990April 200010 years, 1 month [4]
5Major general
Michael Atherly
(born 1949)
April 200031 May 20044 years, 1 month [5] [6]
6Major general
Edward Orin Collins
(born 1945)
31 May 200420072–3 years [7]
7 Rear Adm Gary Best (cropped).jpg Rear admiral
Gary Best
(born 1959)
September 200716 September 20136 years [8]
8 Mark Phillips 2014 (cropped).jpg Brigadier
Mark Phillips
(born 1961)
16 September 20133 October 20163 years, 17 days [9]
9Brigadier
George Lewis
(born 1961)
3 October 201610 January 201799 days [10] [11]
10 2017 Caribbean Nations Security Conference (171206-A-BQ509-008) (cropped).jpg Brigadier
Patrick West
(born 1965)
10 January 20171 July 20203 years, 173 days [12] [13]
Brig. Godfrey Bess (cropped).jpg Brigadier
Godfrey Bess
(born 1968)
1 July 20204 March 2021246 days [14] [15]
114 March 202128 April 20232 years, 55 days
12 Brig Omar Khan 2023 (cropped).jpg Brigadier
Omar Khan
28 April 202324 May 20241 year, 26 days [16]

Chief of Defence Staff (2024–present)

No.PortraitName
(birth–death)
Term of officeRef.
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Brig Omar Khan 2023 (cropped).jpg Brigadier
Omar Khan
24 May 2024Incumbent100 days [17]

See also

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References

  1. "Colonel Ronald Pope". gdf.mil.gy. Guyana Defence Force. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  2. "Brigadier Clarence Price". gdf.mil.gy. Guyana Defence Force. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  3. "Major General Norman Gordon Mc Lean". gdf.mil.gy. Guyana Defence Force. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  4. "Major General Joseph Singh, MSS". gdf.mil.gy. Guyana Defence Force. Archived from the original on 31 January 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  5. "Major General Michael Atherly, MSS". gdf.mil.gy. Guyana Defence Force. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  6. "Former Chief-of-Staff honoured at special dinner". Kaieteur News. 28 November 2008. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  7. Naipaul, Chamanlall (1 June 2004). "Former Chief of Staff calls for new national security strategy". landofsixpeoples.com. Guyana Chronicle. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  8. Staff Writer (23 June 2014). "Promoted to Rear Admiral – Gary Best departing a military that is set for transformation". dpi.gov.gy. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  9. "Brigadier Mark Phillips". gdf.mil.gy. Guyana Defence Force. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  10. "George Lewis promoted to rank of Brigadier, sworn in as GDF Chief of Staff". op.gov.gy. Office of the President. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  11. "I'm ready to lead". Guyana Chronicle. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  12. "Brigadier Patrick West is new army Chief of Staff". stabroeknews.com. 11 January 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  13. "Brigadier Patrick West is new army Chief of Staff". Stabroek News. 11 January 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  14. Staff Writer (30 June 2020). "Colonel Bess appointed Chief of Staff (ag)". dpi.gov.gy. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  15. Staff Reporter (5 March 2021). "Bess takes charge of GDF". guyanachronicle.com. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  16. "Colonel Khan promoted to Brigadier, appointed new Army Chief of Staff - Guyana Chronicle".
  17. https://officialgazette.gov.gy/images/gazette2024/may/Extra_24MAY2024Act8of2024.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]