A group of meteorological and aviation officers in the Cayman Islands are currently receiving training that will allow them to provide weather observations anywhere in the world.

The National Weather Service is required to have all officers providing weather observations certified, under the regulations of the World Meteorological Organization in conjunction with the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Training is being given by two visiting tutors from the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology in Barbados, with initial lessons taking place in the classroom before venturing out into the field.

Five National Weather Service staff members are taking part in the training, which started on 17 October and runs until 29 November.

Two officers from the Cayman Islands Airports Authority in Cayman Brac – Michael Freeman and Sarah Foster – are also participating in the training course on Grand Cayman. These two officers fill the dual roles of aviation support and weather observation within the Cayman Brac Aeronautical Information Service operated by the Cayman Islands Airports Authority.

As a separate benefit of having the tutors on island, an additional refresher course will be offered to four officers within the National Weather Service who are already certified.

“It is very satisfying to finally complete this vital training to ensure that all of our staff are fully qualified to provide these very important duties,” said John Tibbetts, director general of the Cayman Islands National Weather Service.

The training officers are Earnest Lovell from Barbados and David Gajadhar from Trinidad, retired teachers from the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology.

Photo captions: (Photos: Catherine MacGillivray, GIS)

Pic 270 L-r: Floyd Webb, David Gajadhar (tutor), Michael Freeman, Winston Gall, David Thompson, Sarah Foster, Shamal Clarke, Allan Ebanks.

Pic 282 L-r: Michael Freeman, Sarah Foster, David Gajadhar (tutor), Floyd Webb, Winston Gall , Shamal Clarke, Allan Ebanks, David Thompson.

Pic 293 Newly hired officers Michael Freeman and Sarah Foster from Cayman Brac.