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BDF Chief Of Staff Inducted Into CGSC International Hall Of Fame

Chief of Staff, Commodore Errington Shurland has been inducted into the United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) International Hall of Fame, for his contributions to fields of military education, leadership and national security. The ceremony was held at the Lewis and Clark Center, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Established since 1973, the US CGSC Hall of Fame honours international military officers who have distinguished themselves in their careers and made significant contributions, and by merit, attained the position of leader of their nation’s security and defence forces.

The induction into the CGSC Hall of Fame is a prestigious recognition, and those selected have characteristically demonstrated outstanding leadership and have had a lasting impact on the military.

During his remarks, Commodore Shurland reminisced on his tenure at the College when he attended in 2001. He credits this time as the most impactful and significant professional development programmes in his military career.

In his own words, Cdre shared that “the military is not just a job (I am sure that you will all agree); it is a calling, a way of life. It demands dedication, discipline, and a willingness to put others before oneself. It is an honour to serve alongside the brave men and women who wear the uniform of the Barbados Defence Force, and I share this recognition with each and every one of them.”

Commodore Shurland noted that his experiences at the College have been instrumental in allowing him to more effectively develop and lead the Barbados Defence Force and the Regional Security System.

As he concluded, the Chief of Staff mentioned that the receipt of this military award is not just an acknowledgment of his individual achievements, but it is a testament to the resilience and dedication of our armed forces as a whole. He encouraged the audience to “let us continue to stand united and strong, protecting the values we hold dear and pursuing a better world for all.”

Commodore (Cdre) Errington Shurland enlisted in the Barbados Defence Force in February 1984. He is a graduate of the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, United Kingdom and the Command and General Staff College of the United State Army, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; Cdre Shurland holds two significant appointments and portfolios within the Caribbean Region.

He was appointed Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force on 1 September 2021 and also serves as the Executive Director of the Regional Security System from 1 February 2017. During his career in the military Cdre Shurland has served in several operational and administrative posts.

Possessing extensive interagency as well as intergovernmental experience, Cdre Shurland has functioned in various diplomatic roles. These roles include Barbados’ representative at the Organisation of American States, the Chief of the Barbados Delegation at the Inter American Defence Board, Barbados’ delegate to the United Nations and the International Maritime Organisation. Regionally, he has performed strategic duties as an adviser for Barbados’ delegation to negotiate Maritime Boundaries and Fisheries Agreements with Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana.

He holds a Master’s degree in Maritime Administration from the World Maritime University in Malmo, Sweden and is certified in Elections Management and Mediation from the American University and the University of Windsor respectively.

Cdre Shurland’s contribution to security and defence education throughout the Americas was recognized and awarded by the William J Perry Center for Hemispheric Defence studies in September 2022.

Cdre Shurland is a Justice of the Peace, and his military honours include the Services Medal of Honour, the General Service Medal, the Humanitarian Medal, the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, the Governor-General’s Medal of Honour, and two Defence Board Commendations. (PR/GIS)

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SPECIAL POLLING DAY NOTICE

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FundAccess To Host Legal Clinic Workshop from May 13th

Entrepreneurs will soon get another opportunity to learn about critical legal matters that are key to the operation of their businesses.

FundAccess will be hosting The Legal Clinic Workshop, which will commence on Tuesday, May 13, and continue each Tuesday, until May 27, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The workshop will be facilitated by Attorney-at-law Ondene Kirton and participants will discuss Understanding Business Legal Structures; Contracts & Agreements; Employment Law & Compliance; and Examination of the Various Laws Relating to Small Business.

During those sessions, the participants will be exposed to sole proprietorship, partnerships, corporations – pro and cons; how to choose the right legal structure for a business; the importance of contracts in business operations; avoiding common contract pitfalls; and employee rights & employer responsibilities, among others. Some of the pieces of legislation to be examined include the Employment Rights Act and National Insurance and Social Security Act.

Interested persons may attend the workshop in person at FundAccess’ Pinfold Street, Bridgetown location, or online via the Zoom Platform. To register, click on the following link: https://bit.ly/3Fu09Jv.

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Centenarian Built On Firm Foundation Set By Grandmother

“Trust God first” is the mantra of one of Barbados’ newest centenarians, Athelstan Browne, who celebrated his 100th birthday on April 29, 2025, at his home in Montrose, Christ Church, surrounded by family and friends.

One of his specially invited guests was President of Barbados, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason.

Mr. Browne shared that he grew up “not knowing a mummy” as his mother passed away at age 23, when he was two years old, and his brother was only one year old.

Crediting his grandmother for his upbringing, Mr. Brown remarked: “I had a real good, good grandmother that raised two of us, and everything we learn before we went to school, she taught us.”

Pointing to a humble yet deeply religious upbringing, Mr. Browne said: “I and my brother slept on the floor. Our grandmother spread things down there, and she just put the pillow under our head.”

He recalled that they had to sing the hymn “Under the Blood” before going to bed, and first thing in the morning before they had breakfast, which usually consisted of “a cup of tea and two biscuits”. Adding that the hymn was “our song”, Mr. Browne sang the hymn from memory.

Stressing that his grandmother was a great provider, he noted: “My grandmother had land, and she would work the land…. We would eat raw potato, raw okras, (green) peas, cucumbers…. The only thing we did not eat was raw yams and eddoes.”

Mr. Browne continues to enjoy his ground provisions “with a little rice”, as he likes his rice with green peas, and if available, chicken boiled with the rice. “I am a fish man,” he remarked, eating it either fried or with a “stew sauce”.

Continuing to nurture his Christian beliefs, he joined the Mount Ararat United Holy Church (currently in Dayrell’s Road, Christ Church) in 1967, at age 33, and has continued there ever since.

Once the Superintendent of the Sunday School at the church, Mr. Browne is still instrumental in providing leadership to the youth there. “I have a crowd of young people at church that love me…especially when I have to talk to them…. It is what they should hear and what they should have,” he said.

The centenarian was raised in Montrose, Christ Church, and attended the Christ Church Boys’ School (now Milton Lynch Primary School). After leaving school, Mr. Browne initially took to agriculture but then worked cutting soft stone in two quarries in Christ Church.

In 1947, at the age of 22, he decided to join the US Farm Labour Programme and took the first Pan American Airlines flight out of Barbados. Over 10 years later, Mr. Browne returned to Barbados and married Monica Browne (deceased). Together, they built the house where he currently resides.

Returning to his roots in agriculture, the centenarian worked at the Ridge Plantation, Christ Church, until retirement. He also planted and reaped ground produce at home, as well as planted and cut canes.

Mr. Browne, who is generally in good health and has a sharp memory, still works around the home and enjoys reading, which he does without glasses. He also keeps in touch with his family in New York and North Carolina, and will do some travelling, but he is always ready to return home.

After toasting the centenarian, Her Excellency remarked: “You are in the midst of a lot of love, and I am sure you are going to enjoy the rest of your birthday. I am really happy to have met you. I am grateful for the work that you still continue to do with our young people because a lot of them lack direction, and we, nowadays, don’t take enough time to sit down and speak with them…. We don’t remind them that they are important, that they are somebody.”

Mr. Browne responded: “You got to make them understand what … the Lord expects of them… We have to acknowledge the Lord.”

Mr. Browne has two children, 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. (PR/GIS)

Caption: President of Barbados, Her Excellency, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, and Barbados’ newest centenarian Athelstan Browne take a walk outside during his birthday celebrations in Montrose, Christ Church