Barbados Defence Force Chief Calls for Investment to Enhance Resources and Serve Country

The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) is in need of “investment” to significantly boost its resources and enhance its ability to serve Barbados, says Chief of Staff Commodore Errington Shurland.

While giving remarks at a special church service to commemorate the BDF’s 44th anniversary, held at the St Matthias Anglican Church on Sunday, Shurland said the force had high successes over the past year but going forward it needed more financial resources to better equip the military institution.

In the past year, he said the force made a valuable contribution in the Barbados Police Service’s fight to sweep the island clean of illegal guns.

He said the Barbados Regiment conducted 2 372 patrols, which equated to 12 529 man-hours.

Three weapons and 80 rounds of ammunition were interdicted, 13 people were arrested and 2 568 illegal marijuana plants and 28 041 pounds of vegetable matter were seized.

Shurland added that the Barbados Coast Guard conducted 1 051 patrols covering about 8 893 nautical miles within the island’s waters.

From these patrols, four search and rescue operations were conducted and the patrols also resulted in the interdiction of 3 707 pounds of marijuana, which is estimated to be worth more than BDS$14 million.

During joint operations with law enforcement in the nation’s maritime space, 641 pounds of marijuana, valued at BDS$2.5 million, 11 pounds of cocaine, valued at BDS$72 000, and ten weapons were seized. These operations led to 40 arrests.

“As the Government of Barbados pursues its agenda for our Blue Economy, I expect that the Barbados Coast Guard will continue to play a critical role in the protection of our interests, ably supported by our national partners and the tactical resources of the Regional Security System. The Honourable Prime Minister has clearly indicated that Barbados is a maritime state. She did so against the very real fact that Barbados has a maritime space that is 424 times the size of the land space and the economic potential of the vast amount of untapped resources that is available within that space. It is against this backdrop that I anticipate a reinvestment in the Coast Guard to ensure the protection of the living and nonliving resources in the maritime space for generations to come. To this end, the Defence Board has mandated a review of the maritime assets of the Coast Guard. This process is being led by Commander Mark Peterson,” he said.

During his speech, Shurland said the risk of emerging threats such as cyber security and those propagated by climate change needed more attention and the force would also need additional resources to address them.

“Having reflected on a few of the achievements of the Force over the past year, I am mindful to look forward; I am even more mindful of the emerging threats. Threats related to cyber security and the adverse effects of climate change, which threaten our population’s health, food and water security and have the potential to disrupt livelihoods. These new threats demand a further investment in our people and the physical plant and material of the Force. The demands placed on the Force oftentimes outstrip our resources; both human and material.

“From where I sit as Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force, it is critical that there is some further investment in the Force so that we can meet the increasing demands. The recommendations for further investment in the force are not being considered in a vacuum. It is being done through a process of consultations with national, regional and international partners; and is to be presented in the form of a national security policy . . .The process of the development of the National Security Policy is being led by Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Lovell.”

Looking ahead, the BDF Chief said the year ahead will be busy as there will be a number of activities the regiment will engage in such as the Regional Security System Unity Exercise in April in St Lucia, Tradewinds, which will be held in Barbados in May and the International Cricket Council’s Cricket World Cup T20 international competition being held in the region from June 1. [email protected]