| Chief of Defence Staff | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the TTDF | |
since 25 March 2019 | |
 Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force | |
| Member of | Defence Council |
| Reports to | Minister of National Security |
| Appointer | President on the advice of the Minister |
| Constituting instrument | Defence Act: Chapter 14:01 |
| Formation | 1 June 1962 |
| First holder | Pearce Gould |
| Website | Official website |
The Chief of Defence Staff is the professional head of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force. He is responsible for the administration and the operational control of the military. The current chief is Air Vice Marshall Darryl Daniel who was appointed on 25 March 2019, Air Commodore and promoted to Air Vice Marshall effective November 01,2020 . Unlike other Caribbean nations, the chief is not called the more common "Chief of Staff". This is due to the strong ties Trinidad and Tobago had to the British equivalent during the establishment of the TTDF.[1]
List of officeholders
[edit]| No. | Portrait | Name (birth–death) |
Term of office | Defence branch | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 | Lt. Col. Pearce Gould |
1 June 1962 | 1964 | 1–2 years | Army | [2] | |
| 2 | .jpg)
|
Col. Joffre Serrette |
1964 | February 1968 | 3–4 years | Army | [3][4] |
| 3 | Stanley Johnson | February 1968 | 1970 | 1–2 years | |||
| (2) |
|
Brigadier Joffre Serrette |
1970 | 1978 | 7–8 years | Army | [3] |
| 4 | Commodore Mervyn O. Williams |
1976? | 1979 | 2–3 years | Navy | [5] | |
| Brigadier Joseph Theodore |
1990 | 1991 | 0–1 years | Army | [6] | ||
| Brigadier Ralph Brown |
1991 | 1994 | 2–3 years | Army | [5] | ||
| Brigadier Carlton Alfred Alfonso |
1994 | 1999 | 4–5 years | Army | [7] | ||
| Commodore Anthony S Franklin |
1999 | 2000 | 0–1 years | Navy | |||
| John CE Sandy | 2000 | 2002 | 1–2 years | ||||
| Brigadier Ancil Antoine |
26 January 2002 | 2006 | 3–4 years | Army | [8] | ||
| Major general Edmund Dillon |
2006 | 6 November 2011 | 4–5 years | Army | [9] | ||
| Brigadier Roland Maundy |
6 November 2011 | 2012 | 0–1 years | Army | [10][11] | ||
| Major general Kenrick Maharaj |
2011 | 2011 | 0 years | Army | [12] | ||
| 2011 | 2015 | 3–4 years | |||||
| Major general Rodney Smart |
2015 | 9 August 2017 | 1–2 years | Army | [13] | ||
| Rear admiral Hayden Pritchard |
9 August 2017 | 25 March 2019 | 1–2 years | Navy | [13] | ||
| Air Commodore Darryl Daniel |
25 March 2019 | Incumbent | 5 years, 331 days | Air force | |||
References
[edit]- ^ Phillips 1997, p. 30.
- ^ "History". Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ a b Figueira, Daurius (July 2009). The East Indian Problem in Trinidad and Tobago 1953-1962 Terror and Race War. ISBN 9781440159961.
- ^ Griffith, Ivelaw L. (11 June 2015). The Quest for Security in the Caribbean: Problems and Promises in. p. 107. ISBN 9781317454977.
- ^ a b Phillips 1997, p. 31.
- ^ "Passing of Brigadier General ( Ret'd) Joseph Theodore". Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ "Senator the Honourable Brig. Gen. Carlton Alfonso". Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- ^ "Brigadier Ancil Antoine". Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ Kowlessar, Geisha. "Dillon says farewell to the Force". guardian.co.tt. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ "Minister Griffith Issues Condolences on the Death of Brigadier General Roland Garth Maunday". Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ "Maundy passes the baton". Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ "Maharaj now Brigadier General". Retrieved 14 January 2021.
- ^ a b "New Chief of Defence Staff replaces Major General Rodney Smart". Retrieved 13 January 2021.
- Phillips, Dion (September 1997). "The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force: Origin, Structure, Training, Security and Other Roles". Caribbean Quarterly. 43 (3). Taylor & Francis, Ltd.: 13–33. doi:10.1080/00086495.1997.11672099.