BlueGreen Initiative Donates Books To BDF
BDF Media Release| June 21
Photography: BDF Media & BGI
The Barbados Defence Force recently partnered with the BlueGreen Initiative Inc (BGI) in the interests of literacy and youth development. The BGI gifted Private (Pte) Maria Burt, World Literacy Ambassador, with two hundred (200) copies of ‘My Coral Buddies and Me’ children’s activity. The My Coral Buddies and Me book is a publication of BGI and written by BGI’s Co-Founder Senator Crystal Drakes. The children’s book is aimed to increase the awareness and education of the marine environment, specifically the role of coral reefs in maintaining healthy oceans. The book’s coral characters Brainy Bob, Earl Elk, Samantha, Starlight, Fire Fred, and Polly Polyp shed light on the importance of coral reefs to other marine species and humans and the challenges they face such as climate change. Activity’s in the book include Name the Coral, Find the Underwater Words, and Connect the Coral.
The My Coral Buddies and Me activity book is a product of BGI’s Be Blue School Tour which commenced in 2020 in partnership with Sandals Foundation and supported by Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy. However due to COVID 19, BGI was unable to visit the eight designated primary schools across the island to teach them about the ocean.
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The Tour also comprised of two underwater Murals done by Artist Jehmilah Wood, at the Blackman and Gollop and Bay Primary Schools. The partnership between the BDF, WLF Ambassador Pte Burt and the BGI will ensure the activity book reaches children in communities across Barbados.
BGI is set to release a second book ‘My Coral Buddies and Me, Cricket Calamity’ a free comic e-book written by young Barbadian writer Shakirah Bourne. The comic e-book will merge scientific information with authentic Caribbean culture and storytelling so children can relate to the marine environment and feel empowered to be a part of the environmental action in Barbados and across the Caribbean region.
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.
