GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Rickford Burke, President of the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID), has issued a strongly worded statement condemning the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) for the arrest of Lance Corporal Shamar Calder, a soldier who was recently shot and wounded during a border incident with Venezuelan forces. Burke alleges the arrest is a direct result of the soldier speaking out against the GDF and the PPP government regarding a lack of support.
Burke accused the GDF leadership of acting as a “political tool” of the PPP government and engaging in oppression. He claims that Lance Corporal Calder, who was injured in a May 2026 attack on the Cuyuni River, was “abandoned” by the GDF and President Irfaan Ali, and that his arrest for speaking out sends a “frightening message” to other ranks.
“The GDF is quickly descending into a tool of oppression of the PPP government,” Burke stated, further alleging that the government is imposing “PPP supremacy” within the Force, which he noted is predominantly composed of African Guyanese. The CGID President urged members of the GDF to prioritize their own interests and “leave the GDF” rather than submit to what he calls a “racist PPP ethnocracy.”
Contradictory Accounts from Official Sources
However, the GDF has vehemently denied claims that Lance Corporal Calder was left without support. In a statement released Friday, the Force rejected “social media reports” as “inaccurate” and a “disservice” to the injured rank.
According to the GDF, the incident occurred on May 29, 2026. They detailed that the soldier was immediately medically evacuated to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he received treatment and observation. The GDF also confirmed that he was readmitted on August 1 for surgery to remove a projectile from his leg and was discharged on August 3. The Force maintains he is currently on sick leave and receiving both physical and psychological support.
Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed has also waded into the debate, questioning the government’s support for the soldier. In a social media post, Mohamed alleged the soldier received “no meaningful assistance” from the GDF or the PPP/C Government. This has drawn a sharp rebuttal from the GDF, with Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier Omar Khan reportedly pushing back against any suggestion that the Force has neglected its duties.
Background of Tensions
The incident comes amid heightened tensions along Guyana’s western border with Venezuela, stemming from the long-standing territorial dispute over the Essequibo region. Reports indicate that Guyanese military personnel have come under fire multiple times in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni area.
This is not the first time Burke and the CGID have accused the GDF of political bias. In 2022, the organization criticized the Force for allegedly acting as a “political pawn” in the dismissal of a reserve officer—claims that the government and GDF have also previously rejected.
Efforts to reach Lance Corporal Calder or his representatives for comment have been unsuccessful at the time of publishing.
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CGID Full Statement Below
Please draft a news report based on CGIDs statement…CGID CONDEMNS GDF ARREST LANCE CORPORAL WHO WAS SHOOT AND INJURED BY VENEZUELANS AT THE BORDER FOR SPEAKING OUT ABOUT LACK OF SUPPORT FROM THE GDF AND PPP GOVERNMENT, URGES GDF OFFERS TO LEAVE THE GDF WHICH WHICH IS INCREASINGLY BECOMING A POLITICAL TOOL OF THE PPP
The Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) strongly condemns the leadership of Guyana Defence Force (GDF) for arresting GDF Lance Corporal Shamar Calder, who was shot and wounded by Venezuelans at the border, because he spoke out against the leadership of the GDF and President Irfaan Ali, accusing them of abandoning him since his surgery and of not keeping delivering on promises to him and his family.
The GDF is quickly descending into a tool of oppression of the PPP government. The nation is not oblivious to the fact that 99% of members of the GDF are African Guyanese – a demographic that is constantly under PPP subjugation and domination by racists in the PPP ethnocracy. We note that the government is subtlety imposing PPP supremacy in the GDF.
We condemn the leadership of Guyana Defence Force, for allowing the Force to be used by President Ali and the dictatorial PPP ethnocratic regime, to suppress the rights and freedom of the political opposition and its supporters.
Arresting Lance Corporal Calder for speaking out about his welfare is callous and inhumane. It send a serious and frightening message to the rest of the Force that if you do not comforn PPP oppressive rules or if you embarrass the government, you will be punished.
Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, ought to be very careful about a perception that is quickly being cemented in the Guyanese society, that his is allowing the GDF to become an arm of the PPP, and that he is mistreating members of the Force – who are largely African Guyanese – if they do fall in line with the dictates of the PPP.
CGID’s message to members of the GDF is this: “Do not allow the leadership of the GDF to coerce you into subjugation and political control of the racist PPP ethnocracy. Your mission is to protect, serve and defend our nation and its people, not the PPP. The GDF is not a subsidiary of the PPP. Do not support or allow the leadership of the GDF to impose PPP apartheid in the Force. At the end of the day one thing must remain paramount and permanently etched in your mind. The PPP sees most of you as second class citizens and enemies, because of your race as descendant of the slaves of African, and your perceived political affiliation. They tolorate you because they need you to defend them. However, at the end if the day, put your and your family’s interest first; even if that means leaving the GDF.”
Moral is low and profoundly demoralizing currently in the GDF.
Within recent months, the GPF lost over 50 members from the Engineer Corps. We now understand why! No one wants to be part of an ill-equipped, under funded, low wage, oppressive force that is rapidly becoming politicized PPP racists who operate like colonialists.
I strongly urge members of the GDF to share this post among themselves and in their various groups.
Rickford Burke President Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID)
August 16, 2025
