News

The Cayman Islands Coast Guard has commenced a historic training programme for its first class of recruits.

After a rigorous summer recruitment drive which began in July 2020 and saw over 300 applications from Caymanians across all three islands, 16 recruits were selected to undergo training to become the Caymans Islands’ first Coast Guard (CICG) Recruits.

The class of 16 Caymanians, six of whom are female, will undergo a series of intense training sessions over a period of eight weeks.

The overall programme is comprised of academic, physical and water-based training to equip recruits with the necessary engineering tools, maritime law enforcement training and search and rescue skills. Throughout this process, the recruits will be evaluated based on sustainability and skills.

If they have successfully met the recruitment and selection criteria for entry into the Cayman Islands Coast Guard (CICG) by the end of the programme, the recruits will receive the designation of Coast Guard Recruit. They will then be attached to one of the various operational units within the CICG where they will continue to learn and develop their professional competence and proficiency.

Lieutenant Commander Leo Anglin stated, “We are very pleased with the capabilities displayed by the recruits thus far. While intense, this eight week training is critical to their successful development. It will ensure that they are equipped with the necessary skills to respond to any maritime needs of our community while ensuring our service is in keeping with the standards of other Coast Guard agencies internationally.”

Today His Excellency the Governor Martyn Roper visited the course and over the next few weeks Premier, Hon. Alden McLaughlin; Deputy Governor, Hon. Franz Manderson, the Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne, alongside other partner agencies such as Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control, Port Authority of the Cayman Islands and Cayman Islands Fire Service, will also visit and speak to the recruits.

After his visit with the recruits today, 11 January 2021, His Excellency said, “It was a great pleasure to welcome the men and women who are our new Cayman Islands Coast Guard recruits to our law enforcement family. It was a tough recruitment process and they should all be very proud to have been successful. They now have eight weeks of training ahead in a variety of subjects to prepare them for their careers at sea protecting our borders, keeping our boating community safe and upholding maritime law.

“The CICG is an exciting step forward for law enforcement and maritime security on our islands. Our new recruits build on Cayman’s long seafaring tradition and heritage. I wish them all the very best in the future.”

“This is the first of many recruitment drives the CICG will undergo. Our continued mission is to provide the necessary search and rescue operations required on our waters to support the commercial and recreational maritime activity of our local community, enforce the maritime laws of our islands, while also ensuring the safety and security of our borders across the Cayman Islands,” CICG Commander Robert Scotland explained.