Commanding Officer of the Royal Montserrat Defence Force (RMDF) Major Alvin E. Ryan has completed training on the “Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context” (MDWSC) course held in Trinidad from 20 May 2019 – 31 May 2019.
Major Ryan joined other high ranking security personnel and civilian security experts from around the region to undertake this course, which was made possible through the joint logistical efforts of the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of National Security, the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force and delivered by the Defence Academy of the UK and Cranfield University. Major Ryan’s participation was facilitated through assistance from the Office of the UK Defence Attaché for the Caribbean based in Jamaica.
The training course had 29 participants which included senior officers from other regional defence forces, various law enforcement agencies and the civil service of several Caribbean countries from Bermuda in the North to host country Trinidad & Tobago in the South.
Over the two weeks, the course highlighted the vital role of the security sectors in national and regional security as well as its international contribution through subject areas such as security (Strategic Context), policy formulation, rule of law, inter-agency cooperation, leadership and human resource management. The delivered courses were underpinned by academic rigor, doctrinal compliance, policy awareness and enriched by practical experience.
The presenters provided information that was delivered through a combination of lessons, discussions, case studies and exercises – a blended learning approach. The interaction and sharing of experiences between presenters and participants as well as the interaction between participants is vital and it is important to build a network to ensure that learning does not end at the completion of the training course. As part of the attendance by Major Ryan and his interacting and networking with participants, renewed interest was raised within both the RMDF and Montserrat and commitment was made by a Senior Member of the Trinidad and Tobago Armed Forced to visit Montserrat in 2020.
