–President Ali says, as he begins formation of new team with swearing in of Prime Minister Phillips, Vice-President Jagdeo
BRIGADIER (Ret’d) Mark Phillips and Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, on Monday, were officially appointed as Prime Minister and Vice-President, respectively, by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, who hailed them as “exemplary” leaders who have been tried, tested and proven as ideal persons to help take Guyana forward.
Phillips and Dr. Jagdeo’s appointments are the first two major appointments under President Ali’s new administration.
These appointments come one day after Dr. Ali was officially sworn in to serve a second term as the ninth President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.
The President emphasised that the appointments of Prime Minister and Vice-President were made in accordance with Articles 101 and 102 of the Constitution.
He said: “These appointments are evidence of placing the reins of our nation’s development in the most capable hands; hands that have been tried, tested and proven in the annals of public service.”
In his address at the ceremony held at the Office of the President, President Ali said: “His [Phillips’] name is synonymous with duty and public service. When called to serve, he has never faltered. He embodies the spirit of discipline, loyalty, and steadfast commitment.”
The Head of State pointed to the decades of selfless service Brigadier Phillips gave to the people of Guyana.
He served as the Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) from 2013 to 2016.
Phillips has two Post-graduate Diplomas: one in Advanced Defence and Security Studies from the Inter-American Defense College in Washington D.C., and another in Defence Studies from the United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
He also earned a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Public Management from the University of Guyana, and a Master of Science in Public Sector Management from La Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra.
Phillips was first employed as an acting teacher at the Linden Foundation School, then as a Laboratory Analyst with the Bauxite and Alumina Labs of GUYMINE in 1980.
In December 1980, he joined the Guyana Defence Force as an Officer Cadet, and travelled to the United Kingdom for military training on the Standard Military Officers’ Course Number 26 at the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in September 1981.
Also trained in Brazil, he served as a Special Forces Officer, and is an accomplished Parachutist and Jumpmaster as well. Thereafter, he held appointments at the tactical and operational levels of the Guyana Defence Force, and retired as Brigadier and Chief of Staff in October 2016, having served for over 36 years. He is a recipient of the Military Service Star (MSS), the highest national military award in Guyana.
Speaking on Dr. Jagdeo’s decades of service to the Guyanese people, President Ali emphasised that the Vice-President stands committed to the country.
Dr. Ali said: “His story is one of unparalleled achievement. As a former Minister of Finance, he stewarded our economy with a keen and brilliant mind. As President of this Republic for 12 remarkable years, he set the stage for the prosperity we are now realising.”
Further, President Ali spoke on the Vice- President’s guidance, which enabled him to ably lead Guyana from 2020 to 2025.
He said that Dr. Jagdeo’s command and knowledge of governance is a resource “we are incredibly blessed to have at our disposal”.
GIFT TO THE NATION
“Dr. Jagdeo, your continued service is a gift to the nation, and we are all beneficiaries of your wisdom and boundless energy,” President Ali said.
Dr. Jagdeo previously held the office of Minister of Finance, before being elected to serve as the President of Guyana from August 11, 1999 to December 3, 2011.
He was the first Head of State to relinquish office in accordance with the two-term limit he signed into law during his presidency.
Dr. Jagdeo also holds a number of global leadership positions in the areas of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Green Energy.