Too many trained personnel are leaving here for foreign jobs.
Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves addressed the issue on radio on March 13 saying that he had received a report from Lieutenant Commander Deon Henry, Head of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Coast Guard who drew his attention to the issue.
According to Gonsalves, Commander Henry indicated in the report of the performance of the SVG Coast Guard for 2023 that a major challenge to the organization was the loss of trained junior technical staff to foreign military forces.
“This is happening in the police force, they get the training and then they go and join the British military forces,” Gonsalves said.
According to Gonsalves, this country’s National Security Minister, many police and coast guard officers also choose to go off and work on oil rigs and although it is rough and hard work, the pay is good.
There was also a similar problem with nurses in the country.
But the issue was one that he was very concerned about, the prime minister said.
“Because it was easier to deal with the issues concerning fixing up a base [or] getting additional vessels or something of the sort.”
Never-the-less, he said that the SVG Coast Guard ought to be lauded for its accomplishments during the year 2023.
Included in the report was the performance of the organization which included the saving of 113 lives – 92 nationals and 21 non-nationals, 72 emergency medical evacuations, over 300 logistical support operations, 55 search and rescue operations and they responded to a few drownings, and made a few arrests.