President Dr. Irfaan Ali has announced plans for the University of Guyana to establish the National Defence Institute (NDI), aimed at enhancing security education and training in the western hemisphere.
The initiative follows the university’s receipt of the 2023 Perry Award for Excellence in Security and Defence Education from the William J. Perry Centre.
The NDI is expected to be operational within the first half of the year, positioning Guyana as a central hub for security training in the region.
The proposal includes extending security education to the secondary school level by introducing “The Fundamentals of Hemispheric Security” into the Caribbean Secondary Examinations syllabus.
Vice-Chancellor Dr. Paloma Mohamed-Martin has expressed support for this initiative, with plans to implement it promptly.
Collaboration between the University of Guyana and the Perry Centre will focus on various security aspects, including banking security, cyber security, port security, gang combat, and joint operations.