Barbados

1663: English crown colony
01.02.1954: self-government
03.01.1958-31.05.1962: part of the West Indies Federation
30.11.1966: independence from United Kingdom
09.12.1966: member of United Nations

Area: 431 km²
Population: 279,912 (2006)
Capital: Bridgetown
Currency: 1965 East Caribbean dollar (XCD, EC$) = 100 cents → 1972 Barbadian dollar (BBD, Bds$) = 100 cents
GDP per capita: 17,300 $ (2005)
Ethnic groups: local black (Afro-Bajans) 87.1%, mulatto 6%, Anglo-Bajans 4.3%, Americans 1.2%, Indo-Pakistani 1.1%, other 0.3% (2000)
Official language: English

Merchant marine: 2 ships (1,000 Grt or over) 13,545 Grt/19,577 Dwt (1996)
Coastline: 97 km
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (volunteers at earlier age with parental consent), no conscription
Military expenditures: N/A

Queen: Elisabeth II
Governor-general: Sir Clifford Straughn Husbands (01.06.1996)
Prime Minister: David John Howard Thompson (16.01.2008)

Barbados Coast Guard
> Vessels <

early 1973: Barbados Coast Guard (CG) formed
1977: subordinated to Barbados Regiment
15.08.1979: part of new-established Barbados Defence Force

Commander: Lt.Cdr. Errington R. Shurland
Personnel: 4+57 (1978;1980), 14+65 (1983), 11+81 (1985;1986), 12+79 (1989), 12+78 (1990), 12+93 (1992;1996), 11+85 (1998;2004)
Prefix to ships' names: HMBS (His/Her Majesty's Barbadian Ship); till early 1980s: BCGS (Barbados Coast Guard Ship)
Bases: St. Ann's Fort (1973-1982), 'HMBS Willoughby Fort' (02.1982-02.2007), and 'HMBS Pelican' in Spring Garden (present, since 07.2007) - all at Bridgetown

Ensigns

Ranks Insignia

Map

Queen:

11.1966-

HM Elizabeth II (of the United Kingdom)

Governors:

05.1953-09.1959	Sir Robert Duncan Harris Arundell
10.1959-11.1966	Sir John Montague Stow

Governors-general

11.1966-05.1967	Sir John Montague Stow
05.1967-08.1976	Sir Arleigh Winston Scott
08.1976-11.1976	Sir William Randolph Douglas (acting)
11.1976-01.1984	Sir Deighton Harcourt Lisle Ward
01.1984-02.1984	Sir William Randolph Douglas (acting)
02.1984-06.1990	Sir Hugh Worrell Springer
06.1990-12.1995	Dame Ruth Nita Barrow
12.1995-06.1996	Sir Denys Ambrose Williams (acting)
06.1996-	Sir Clifford Straughn Husbands

Premiers

02.1954-04.1958	Sir Grantley Herbert Adams
04.1958-12.1962	Hugh Gordon Cummins
12.1962-11.1966	Errol Walton Barrow

Prime Ministers:

11.1966-09.1976	Errol Walton Barrow
09.1976-03.1985	John Michael Geoffrey Manningham "Tom" Adams
03.1985-05.1986	Harold Bernard St. John
05.1986-06.1987	Errol Walton Barrow
06.1987-09.1994	Lloyd Erskine Sandiford
09.1994-01.2008	Owen Seymour Arthur
01.2008-	David John Howard Thompson

Chiefs of Staff, BDF

08.1979-1980	Col. Leonard C. Banfield
1981-1999	Brig. Rudyard E.C. Lewis
1999-af.2004	Col. H. Deighton Maynard
af.2004-	Col. Alvin Quintyne

Commanding Officers, BCG

c.1974	Lt.Cdr. William Phillips, RNR
...-1980	Mjr. C.A. McConney
1980-af.1992	Lt.Cdr. C.V.C. Belle
af.1992-af.1996	Lt.Cdr. Wilbert N. Kirton
af.1996-bf.1999	Lt.Cdr. W. Lashley
bf.1999-c.2000	Lt.Cdr. David A. Dowridge
c.2000-2001	Lt.Cdr. K. Jones
2001-	Lt.Cdr. Errington Richard Shurland

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