Retroactive promotion could produce new GDF boss, command structure

Gary Beaton Left and Omar Khan Right 

A number of officers within the Guyana Defence Force are likely to be promoted effective September 01, 2020, through orders of the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and head of the Defence Board, President Irfaan Ali.

The promotions are likely to be retroactive which would mean that those officers by virtue of their promotions will make them senior to a number of officers who were promoted last December including the Chief of Staff Godfrey Bess and Earl Jerrick.

BIG Smith News Watch has been informed that Colonel Gary Beaton is expected to be promoted to Brigadier while Lieutenants Ronald Hercules, Julius Skeete, Omar Khan, and Kenlloyd Roberts are all expected to be promoted to substantive Colonels.

The move could see a shift in the present command structure of the army and also affords the president as head of the Defence Board and Commander in Chief to select his substantive Chief of staff from among the two brigadiers, namely Godfrey Bess who was appointed a few months ago President David Granger and Gary Beaton who previously head the Coast Guard. However, since last year, Beaton was removed from Coast Guard and was not given any command positions within the army.

In a document titled ‘Special orders’ and seen by BIG Smith News Watch, it is purporting a citation coming from the Chief of Staff and reads;

“In accordance with Part 111 Section 16 of the Defence Act, 15:01 of 1977, the Chief of staff is pleased to announce that His Excellency the President and Commander-in-Chief has approved the following Promotions with effect from 18-01-01 unless otherwise stated”

That citation was followed by the names of the officers who were earlier mentioned in this article with Gary Beaton topping the list for the rank of Brigadier.

Gary Beaton is the spouse of Former Peoples Progressive Party Government Minister Jenifer Westford. Westford was accused in 2016 were charged with forgery and attempt to commit larceny but the charges against her and her personnel officer Margret Cummings were dismissed.

“As of now, I cannot say to you that such a determination has been made and really I would not want a public statement to affect the career possibility or the perception of an officer who is doing a fairly good job in the capacity where he is serving,” Former Minister of State Harmon noted back in 2016 when he was asked about Beaton’s name being called in the Westford/Cummings scandal.

At least one senior source close to the operations of the GDF confirmed that there will be some changes coming to the Guyana Defence Force.