Foundation of the Guyana Defence Force
A Soldier of Valour Story
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
The following pages of this manuscript recount the researched developmental history, my personal experiences, and memoirs as a participating member of the Guyana Defence Force. British Guiana had been a colony of the British Commonwealth of Nations for over 200 years. However, for 100 years preceding the British conquest, it had experienced waves of colonization by the European powers of France, Holland and eventually Great Britain respectively. As was customary during the European expansionist strategy of the ‘New World’, repressive forms of policing control (enslavement, constabulary, and military) were enacted upon a captured and mostly enslaved population. This period of European domination of the Western Hemisphere began in the late 15th Century and continued for more than a hundred years after the 1838 Abolition of Slavery in British colonies. In the second half of the 20th Century, a gradual transition from British rule to territorial national independence began for the English-speaking colonies of the British Caribbean. These new sovereign colonies would subsequently become responsible for their own enforcement of order and administration of justice. British Guiana (South America), along with British Honduras (Central America), Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, and other English-speaking Caribbean islands were politically regarded as British Caribbean nations. In 1962, Britain granted independence to the first Caribbean territory, with British Guiana gaining its independence in 1966. Thereafter, British Guiana changed its name to Guyana. The primary focus of this book is on the Guyana Defence Force - its formation, development, operations, service and execution of duties. Since both government and society impact the functioning of such a law enforcement unit, this book records and highlights relevant socio-political events, but only to provide pertinent chronological context. It is not a commentary on political issues.
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
This publication documents how the Guyana Defence Force emerged out of the earlier forms of law enforcement entities that British Guiana inherited after Britain relinquished governmental control of the only English-speaking country in South America.
About the Author
About the Author Lieutenant Colonel Compton Hartley Liverpool (Ret) Lieutenant Colonel Compton Hartley Liverpool (Ret) began his Military Career in 1955 in the British Guiana Volunteer Force as a Private. In 1965, he transitioned into the newly formed Guyana Defence Force as a Corporal. Thereafter, he rose to the rank of Lt. Colonel on soldierly abilities alone, learning each day. He served as Platoon, Company, Battalion, Base, and Garrison Commander. As of this writing, he is the first and only Soldier in the Guyana Defence Force to be awarded a Medal for Valour. About the Coauthor Khalilah Megan Campbell The ‘Foundation of the Guyana Defence Force’ by Lt. Colonel Compton Hartley Liverpool (Ret) has chronicled the origins of what will unfold to establish the military legacy of Guyana. This seminal and monumental publication will forever be indebted to Ms. Khalilah Megan Campbell, the coauthor, who has been an invaluable and indispensable asset in charting the completion of the book. She has worked tirelessly and assiduously in every facet of the manuscript to enrich the publication of this historic masterpiece. Ms. Campbell‘s professional career has included responsibilities as a ‘Conflict Resolution Mediator’, ‘Special Education Mediator’, and a ‘Writer’. More appropriately, her service in the Canadian Armed Forces – 735 (Winnipeg) Communication Regiment and the Guyana National Service contributed direct relevance to her intuitive understanding of the ‘Foundation of the Guyana Defence Force’.