31 Honoured at King’s Birthday Parade
Governor Daniel Pruce received the royal salute as 31 public servants from the Police, Fire and Rescue, Prison Service, Customs and Immigration were recognised at the King’s Birthday Parade and celebration. The awards honoured long service and good conduct across the Overseas Territories medals and included clasps marking 18, 25 and 30 years of service.
Governor Daniel Pruce received the royal salute from members of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force as the Territory marked His Majesty King Charles III’s official birthday with a parade and presentation of honours. Thirty-one people were recognised during the ceremony with awards that acknowledge long service and good conduct within the Overseas Territories awards framework.
The honours highlighted decades of public service across the Police, Fire and Rescue Service, Prison Service, Customs and Immigration Department. In the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, Brenderley Pont received the First Clasp to the Overseas Territories Police Medal for 25 years of service.
The Second Clasp to that medal, recognising 30 years of long service and good conduct, was presented to D’Urville O. Members of the Virgin Islands Fire and Rescue Service also received awards. Cleve Davis, Clifford Thomas, Kevin Prince, Avery Malone, and Nathan McLean were presented with the Overseas Territories Fire and Rescue Brigade Service Medal for 18 years of service.
ElNathan White received a First Clasp for 25 years’ service, while Gaston Walters received a clasp marking 30 years. Awards to prison staff included First Clasps to the Overseas Territories Prison Medal for long service and good conduct. Courtney Radway, Michael Patterson, Damian Johnson, James Seaman and Irvin Trumpet were recognised for 18 years.
Anselm McMillan was honoured for 25 years and Jacqueline Lake Bell for 30 years. Ten members of the Immigration Department were also presented with long-service awards: Kaleigh Chinnery, Nekisha Chinnery, Annamarie David, Kristal Collins, Curtis Turnbull, Siandra Power, Kedrick Mathew, Nathalia Monsanto, Angela Penn and Dominique Maloney-Felix.
On behalf of His Majesty’s Customs, Clinton Romney, Glen Hodge, Lester George and Neil Thomas received awards. The parade-past included personnel from His Majesty’s Prison, the Virgin Islands Fire and Rescue Service, His Majesty’s Customs and the Immigration Department. Local schools and youth organisations also took part, with Francis Lettsome Primary, St.
George’s Primary and Bregado Flax Educational Centre Secondary Division marching alongside community groups such as the Royal Virgin Islands Yacht Club, The Boys and Girls Brigade, BVI Seventh-day Adventist Pathfinders and the Girl Guides. Governor Pruce read the traditional exchange to mark the monarch’s birthday and conveyed warm wishes from the people of the Virgin Islands on the occasion.
For residents, the event was a public acknowledgement of the dedication shown by career public servants who help keep the Territory safe and running. The awards and ceremony were reported by Virgin Islands News Online.
Primary source: VINO