The graduation ceremony for the Vessel Seamanship Operations (Basic and Advanced) Level 2 NVQ and Fishing Vessel Operations Level 3 NVQ course was held at BCGS PELICAN on Friday 26 January 2024. The course was offered in partnership with Barbados National Union of Fisherfolk Organizations (BARNUFO), the Barbados Fisheries Division and the Barbados Defence Force Training and Development Institute (BDF TDI), the Barbados Coast Guard and the TVET Council Barbados.
The two-part course began on 25 September 2023 and ended on 15 December 2024 and sought to enhance the knowledge and skills of the local fisherfolk community. There were 23 students from the Fisheries Division and the Barbados Coast Guard. Topics included Fisheries Regulations, Safety of Life at Sea, Boat Handling and Rules of the Road.
The ceremony was held under the patronage of the Honourable Adrian Forde, Minister of the Environment, National Beautification, Green and Blue Economy. Chief of Staff Barbados Defence Force, Commodore Errington Shurland and Military Advisor to the Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Lovell and Ms Yolande Howard, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Environment, National Beautification, Green and Blue Economy presented certificates to the successful participants.