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.
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)
Portrait Name Term of office Took office Left office Time in office 1 ColonelRonald Pope May 1967 March 1969 2 BrigadierClarence Price March 1969 12 July 1979 3 Major generalNorman Gordon Mc Lean 12 July 1979 March 1990 4 Major generalJoseph Singh March 1990 April 2000 5 Major generalMichael Atherly April 2000 31 May 2004 6 Major generalEdward Orin Collins 31 May 2004 2007 years 7 Rear admiralGary Best September 2007 16 September 2013 8 BrigadierMark Phillips 16 September 2013 3 October 2016 9 BrigadierGeorge Lewis 3 October 2016 10 January 2017 10 BrigadierPatrick West 10 January 2017 1 July 2020 – BrigadierGodfrey Bess 1 July 2020 4 March 2021 11 4 March 2021 28 April 2023 12 BrigadierOmar Khan 28 April 2023 24 May 2024
Chief of Defence Staff (2024–present)
Portrait Name Term of office Took office Left office Time in office 1 BrigadierOmar Khan 24 May 2024 Incumbent
See also Guyana Defence Force
References