After a combined 37 years and 9 months of service, Chief Magistrate and Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Colonel Ann Mc Lennan officially retires today. Colonel McLennan is a graduate of the Standard Officers’ Course 17 and was fortunate to have been afforded the privilege to read for a law degree both at the University of Guyana and the Caribbean at a time when few Officers were pursuing academics.
She was admitted to the Bar in Guyana in 1996 after gaining her Bachelor of Laws Degree (Hons) from the UWI (Cave Hill Campus, 1994), a Legal Education Certificate from the Sir Hugh Wooding Law School, Trinidad (1996) and a Post Graduate Certificate in Diplomacy from the University of Guyana. She then returned to the Force and went on to hold several appointments including Trainee Welfare Officer, Admin Officer Ground Forces Group, Personal Assistant to the Force Commander, Commanding Officer of Medical Corps and Legal Services Department, Staff Officer 2 within the G1 Branch and Staff Officer to the Chief-of-Staff.
In 2007, enthusiastic to expand her legal career and to give further service to country, permission was granted for her to be seconded to the Judiciary to sit as a Magistrate in the Georgetown Magisterial District. She was later appointed Chief Magistrate in 2015.
At a recent cocktail reception held in her honour, Chief-of-Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan congratulated Colonel McLennan for her strong and dedicated service to country. Colonel Mc Lennan recollected her years as an Officer, still delighted by her decision to enlist. “I thank God for bringing me through the rigours of the Standard Officer Course 17 and further, for allowing me to stand here today 37 years and 9 months later a satisfied Officer, fulfilled and happy that the Military career choice that I made back then in 1985, as a teenager was an excellent choice,” she said.
Of her military career, she said, “This profession is both noble and unique as it stands alongside the legal Profession as being noble but, the uniqueness is beyond any other and this is because the Military profession is one upon which any other profession can be built. I on the other hand am privileged to belong to two noble professions.” Colonel Mc Lennan has served under ten of the twelve Chiefs-of-Staff since the establishment of the GDF. She has lauded the progress of women within the Force and encouraged members of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) to continue breaking glass ceilings.
After 37 years, Colonel Ann McLennan says she has enjoyed every moment of her career journey where endurance, patience and support from her mother and other family members were key factors. “I am grateful to each Chief of Staff under whom I served for believing in me and for their guidance and support every step of the way,” she stated. Colonel McLennan proceeded on pre-retirement leave early last month.
