SVG Coast Guard celebrates 44 years

Over the last 44 years, the St Vincent and the Grenadines Coast Guard Service has grown from an eight-man service trained outside of the country to a 100-plus corps which has stamped its mark across the regional maritime space.

On December 2, 2024, the SVG Coast Guard marked their 44th anniversary with a week of activities and have also set their future sights on fleet and personnel expansion.

The service, established on December 2, 1980, was formed out of recruits from the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF), and were trained at the Royal Navy Engineering School.

Acting Commander, Deon Henry, praised the strides the Coast Guard has made over the years, particularly the last three decades, after leadership was transferred from the Royal Navy to being piloted by local commanders.

Speaking on the Thursday, December 5 edition of COP CHAT programme on WEFM Acting Commander Henry said local leadership has shaped the organization as one which stands out among other Coast Guards in the region.

“We have actually charted our course for the last 30 years … I want to praise my founding fathers, they actually hold this institution and built it to a level where it stands out amongst all the other institutions in the region,” Henry said.

“The main thing is that we own our own budget ,in that we go to a budget meeting and ask for what we want into our finances. In other countries like Grenada, Saint Lucia, Dominica, they are under the police force. Basically their operating expenses are shared among other agencies and departments within the police force. We actually spend our own monies so we have more control of our service than others.”

There are currently 131 personnel in the service, 16 of whom are women, and the current fleet stands at nine vessels. Three bases are in operation across SVG- Calliaqua, Bequia and Canouan.

The Acting Commander said there are exciting plans for the service, disclosing that they are in the process of procurement for a new vessel with improved specifications that would be “more comfortable and much faster than the one we have now.”

Also, there are plans to add a new uniform to the service.

“Within the next one to three months, we will see a change in the Coast Guard uniform… It will be more comfortable,” Commander Henry said.

Looking to the future, the leading seaman said there will be rehabilitation of the Calliaqua headquarters within the next year, as well as plans to increase personnel numbers.

During the week, the Coast Guard held open day sessions daily at the Calliaqua base where members of the public were invited to tour the facilities. Members staged a ‘sensitisation walk’ on Monday, December 2, to promote maritime safety awareness and foster community engagement. The following day, members conducted school and community visits, and on Wednesday December 4, troops staged a commanding officers parade at the headquarters.

The anniversary celebrations closes off tonight, Friday November 6, with the Coast Guard anniversary social at the Calliaqua base. The evening of entertainment will feature karaoke and Reggae Night.