BDF Constructs Structures For The Barbados Water Authority
BDF Media Release| 25 Mar 19
Photography credit: BDF Media Source
The Barbados Defence Force’s (BDF) Engineering Troop has is providing assistance to the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) with the construction of reinforced concrete structures to secure electrical generators at eleven (11) pumping stations across the island. The first three (3) generators are to be installed at Alleynedale, St Lucy and at Newmarket and Sweet Bottom in St. George. The effort is yet another civil-military (CIMIC) project undertaken in assistance to Civil Ministries (MACM) to ensure resilience and readiness prior to the start of the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season. These generators will ensure continuous electrical supply to the major pumping stations should there be power outages during the passage of severe weather systems.
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Commanding Officer of the Barbados Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Lovell during his site visit to the project locations noted that there is great potential for the BDF’s engineers to expand with a view to developing a more robust and effective national capability with a specific focus on disaster mitigation, response and even the maintenance of national infrastructure. While the BDF’s Engineering subunit is very small numerically, like other elements of the BDF it “often punches above its weight class.” Throughout the Force’s history, the building engineers have been immensely effective due in large part to the military culture of discipline, determination and commitment. The benefits of investment in an expanded and better equipped engineering subunit would be of tremendous value to Barbados and in an expeditionary way within the RSS. There are also significant opportunities for youth development.
In addition to their primary responsibility for the maintenance of the physical infrastructure of the BDF, the subunit has contributed to national and regional rehabilitation in the aftermath of a disasters in Grenada (2004 after the passage of Hurricane Ivan), Dominica (Storm Erica in 2015 and Hurricane Maria in 2017), and recently with repairs at the Geriatric Hospital in Bay Street (2018).
Highlights
Commodore (Cdre) Errington Ricardo Shurland was appointed Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) on 1 September 2021. He enlisted in the BDF in February 1984 and in a military career spanning over 34 years, has served in various operational and administrative appointments.
Colonel Glyne Grannum joined the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) on 18 October 1985 and underwent career development training at the Canadian Forces Officer Candidate School, Chilliwack and the Combat Training Centre, Gagetown New Brunswick, Canada. He subsequently attended the Infantry Training Centre and the Signal Wing in Warminster, UK (PCBC and RSO Courses respectively), the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in San Remo, Italy; the Lester Pearson Canadian Peacekeeping Centre, the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College, Kingston, the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College, Toronto, the National Defence University of the People’s Liberation Army People’s Republic of China and the Centre for Hemispheric Defence Studies, National Defence University, Washington. He also attended a Defence Resources Management programme at National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, Canada. In addition to being a qualified infantry officer, Col Grannum is a qualified Regimental Signals Officer and a former Operations Officer and Finance Officer of the BDF.
Colonel Banfield joined the Barbados Battalion of the South Caribbean Force in 1941 having just left the Cadet Corps at Combermere School, and was granted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1942. He was a Platoon Commander and a Company Commander during the war and served in Barbados, Dominica (as part of the Gale Force), St Lucia and St Vincent.
Warrant Officer Class 1 Colin Marshall is a graduate of the St Michael, and was born on the 5 November 1969 and enlisted in the Barbados Defence Force on 16 August 1994. He was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal in August 1997, Corporal in 1999, Sergeant in 2007, Color Sergeant in 2014, Warrant Officer Class Two in 2017 and Warrant Officer Class One in 2020. He was Most Outstanding Student on Junior Leadership Course in 1998, the Most Outstanding Student on Junior Non Commissioned Officer Cadre in Jamaica in 2000, best at Leadership on the Search Adviser Course in Jamaica in 2007 and the Most Outstanding Student on the Warrant Officer Course in Jamaica in 2015.
