A total of 40 participants have successfully completed a one-week course on strategy and defence policy, which was led by the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies in collaboration with Guyana’s National Defence Institute (NDI).
The participants received their certificates of completion at a simple ceremony held on Friday at the Guyana Police Force Training Centre, Camp Road, Georgetown.
Dr. Randolph Persaud, Director of the National Defence Institute, shared that the course covered a wide range of topics related to strategic thought, command and control, and defence planning. “We also covered crisis decision-making, human rights, human security, and issues such as small arms and light weapons proliferation,” Dr. Persaud said in an interview following the ceremony.
The participants of the training, nominated by their respective organizations, came from a diverse range of institutions including the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Police Force (GPF), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), and the Office of the President.
Dr. Persaud praised the participants for their engagement, noting that the quality of their questions impressed both the visiting faculty and the leadership of the NDI. He referred to the course as an “overwhelming success.”
The course was designed to enhance participants’ knowledge in the areas of strategy and defence policy, particularly in relation to international security. Dr. Persaud also explained that the funding for the training was sourced internally, with the Perry Center faculty volunteering their time and expertise pro bono as part of a Memorandum of Understanding. The William J. Perry Center is a knowledge-producing institution affiliated with the United States government.
The Perry Center faculty included Professors Celina Realuyo, Colonel (Ret’d) Glyne Grannum from Barbados, and Dr. Román D. Ortiz.
In addition to the strategy and defence policy course, Dr. Persaud highlighted the NDI’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s defense infrastructure. He pointed to the Institute’s CEO Cybersecurity Workshop held in November 2024 as an example of their commitment to developing key areas of national security.
Looking ahead, Dr. Persaud mentioned that the NDI is working on implementing an enrollment system by September 2025, with plans to launch a short course in strategic studies and development, followed by degree programs.
The National Defence Institute, which was launched in September 2024 as a brainchild of President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, aims to establish itself as a “center of excellence” for defence, security, and development studies in Guyana and the Americas. The Institute focuses on building capacity and expertise within Guyana’s security architecture by offering world-class training to local and regional stakeholders.
The NDI is closely linked to the Regional Security System (RSS), the National Defense University in Washington D.C., and the William J. Perry Center for Defense and Atmospheric Studies.
