In 2006, six Officers of the Barbados Cadet Corps attended Training Courses in Canada held by the Regional Cadet Instructor School ( RCIS).

            This year, the Barbados Cadet Corps has been fortunate to be able to gain more places on courses. As a result, eight Barbadian Officers will be attending training in May, June and August 2007.

Two Officers, 2Lt Wayne Hinds and 2Lt Alicia Alleyne have already departed for Canada. They left Barbados on Friday 25 May 2007 and should be returning on 3 June 2007. They are attending the Lieutenant Qualification Course at Trenton Air Cadets Base. On 5 June, 2Lt Marcella Holford, 2Lt Dwayne Gamble and OCdt James Marshall will be joining their Canadian counterparts on a Military Occupation Course (Land). They will be followed on 9 June 2007 by Lt Delisle Bascombe and Lt Len Cummins who will be on the Captain Qualification course.

       This training support, initiated in 2006 by Commandant, Lt Col Trevor Browne, in collaboration with Lt Cdr Peter McIntyre Officer in charge of the RCIS, allows the Barbados Cadet Corps Officers to gain exposure to “cadetting” in a wider setting and this allows the Corps to benchmark its standards.

Additionally , the presence of Barbadian Officers in Canada has led to a great deal of curiosity about Barbados and a strong desire by Canadian Officers to visit Barbados.

         A Statement of Cooperation was signed by the Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force and by the Director of Cadets in Canada to seal this arrangement for 2007. 

          At the current rate, it is expected that most Junior Officers currently on role will have had standardized training at this level by 2010. This will no doubt lead to an enhancement of standards and greater motivation among adult Officers charged with the responsibility of the command and training of Barbadian Cadets.

        Cadet headquarters is also looking forward to an extension of the arrangement in future which could see Canadian officers coming to Barbados to experience our cadetting approaches and for joint training and other developmental cooperation.

Flashback to June 2006. Lt Michael Boyce and Lt Lincoln Springer seated among their Canadian colleagues on the Captain Qualification Course.

2 LT Wayne Hinds

2 LT Alicia Alleyne