50 officers from across the BVI’s branches of security and protection forces received the Governor’s Medal for Meritorious Service on Friday, during His Majesty King Charles III, Birthday Parade and Celebration.
10 officers were selected for each of the branches that included the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, the BVI Fire and Rescue Service, His Majesty’s Prison, His Majesty’s Customs, and the Immigration Department.
Governor His Excellency John Rankin awarded each of the officers with the Meritorious Service Medal – a silver medal awarded for distinguished service, usually to non-commissioned officers of the British armed forces.
The officers from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force included: Superintendent, Paula Alleyne; Acting Chief Inspector, Saif Kaddoura; Inspector, Lesroy Simmons; Inspector, Lina Francis-Richardson; Acting Inspector, Karen Vanterpool; Acting Inspector, George James; Sergeant, Donna Monsanto; and Constables Mitchel John, Pheiona George and Keila Industrious.
From the Fire and Rescue Service, the officers included: Chief Fire Officer, Zebalon McLean; Deputy Chief Fire Officer, William W. Penn; Station Officer, Joseph A. George; Station Officer, Melvin J. A. Jeffers; Station Officer, Tyronne E. Caddle; Fire Officer #35, Shawn Rymer; Sub Officer, Aldith C. Penn; and Sub Officers Geraldo Barry, Elvin A. Forbes and David Ronan.
The officers from His Majesty’s Prison with the Prison Officer II title, were Kesena Okoro, Sonia Musgrave, Roselyn Alfred-Robin and Evena Simmons-Ogunsakin, while those with the title Prison Officer I, included Alan Jackson, Chinedu Chetauya, Kevin Letteen, Damion Johnson, Treasure Ramdatt and Jazell Forde-Johnny.
Officers from His Majesty’s Customs included: Acting Commissioner of Customs, Leslie Lettsome; Senior Customs Officer III, Cilio Donovan; Acting Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Franchie Gumbs; Senior Customs Officer III, Denise Stoutt; Senior Customs Officer III, Duncan Maduro; Senior Customs Officer III, Lester George; Customs Officer III, Glen Hodge; Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Gerald Fleming; Customs Officer II, Desire Forbes; and Customs CAPS Programmer I, Azim Williams.
As it pertains to the Immigration Department, the recipients included: Senior Administrative Officer, Germain Cline; Enforcement Officer, Ted Thomas; Enforcement Officer, Rawlston Williams; Immigration Officer I, Nixon Hamilton; Immigration Officer II, Juliet Christopher; Senior Immigration Officer, Adrienne Duchene; Immigration Department Deputy Chief Immigration Officer, Nadia Demming-Hodge; Senior Immigration Officer, Elsa Smith-Powell; Immigration Officer II, Yvette Harley; and Senior Immigration Officer, James Blyden.
Prior to the awarding of the 50 officers, Governor Rankin delivered a message from King Charles III that was penned to the territory.
The H. Lavity Stoutt Community College Jazz Ensemble ended the proceedings with a Royal Salute, playing the first six bars of the national anthem.