Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, at this weekly press conference on Thursday, has said that Guyana is currently in conversation with Bell to purchase four new helicopters. This is to reinforce the country’s defenses.
“I can say to you we are in discussion with Bell for the purchase of four smaller helicopters.”
Bell, a subsidiary of Bell Textron Inc., is an aerospace manufacturer that produces military rotorcraft and commercial helicopters.
The PPP/C General Secretary told reporters “We are [in] discussion with Bell for the purchase of four smaller helicopters, not just to assist the army, but the police in training and also policing”.
He further stated that additional assessments are to be made to determine the models of the aircraft, to ensure that the ones chosen have low operational costs and the capacity to facilitate training exercises.
This announcement comes in the wake of President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s statement that the Government plans to establish a marine and aviation division within the Guyana Police Force.
According to the Head of State, this will include helicopters with drone capabilities.
“In the Guyana Police Force, for example, we will have an integration between chopper, the sea craft, what I call sea craft capability, the air capability and land capability, of course, the in-land capability, we are already investing heavily in bikes, motor vehicles, buses, ATVs,” said the President.