Gary Griffith

Gary Griffith
Assumed office
6 September 2013

Gary Griffith, was appointed as Minister of National Security in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday 6 September 2013.[1] Since May 2010, he has served as National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister. Griffith was a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force for 15 years, where he attained the rank of Captain in 1998. This attainment to the rank of Captain was achieve after just six (6) years service which was an unprecedented achievement. He was the first military officer from this country to return home with a United Nations Peacekeeping Medal.[1]

Education and early career

Gary Griffith attended St. Mary's College for eight [8] years, from 1976 to 1984. After completing his Advanced Level studies he then began a career in the Military, and was enlisted on 1 June 1988. Griffith is also the holder of a MSc in Security Management from the Department of Criminology in the University of Leicester, United Kingdom, however, as can be noted from his achievements and experience, his managerial capabilities is not limited to security alone but also General Management, Public Relations, Protocol, Event Management and Human Resources to name a few.

Military career

1988-1990 In 1988 Gary Griffith enlisted into the Regiment and was immediately Commissioned by His Excellency the President Noor Hassanali to the rank of Second Lieutenant. After undergoing an intensive one year recruiting training programme in Trinidad, he was then selected to attend the prestigious and world-renowned Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Surrey, England, where he attended a one year Platoon Commander's Course in England, Wales and Cyprus. After successfully completing the course, he was also awarded the Brunei Award.
1990-1995 During the first half of his career from 1990 to 1995, after returning to Trinidad and Tobago, he held several levels of command among those being Platoon Commander, Detachment Commander, Company Second in Command, and Adjutant. He was actively engaged in Operations during the 1990 Attempted Coup in Trinidad and Tobago to ensure democracy was maintained and upheld.

1995-1999 In 1995 he was appointed as the Aide to the Chief of Defence Staff under Brigadier General C Alfonso. He remained in this position from 1995 to 1999, under both Brigadier General C Alfonso [1995-1999], and Commodore A. Franklin [1999]. In 1998 he was promoted to the rank of Captain, after just six years’ service, which was an unprecedented achievement. He was then appointed Administrative, Finance, Welfare and Logistics Officer for over 300 troops from the CARICOM Forces that participated in the United Nations Mission in Haiti. .The United Nations Peacekeeping Mission was a six month tour of duty, and was Trinidad and Tobago's first ever deployment of troops to participate in a Peacekeeping Operation under the United Nations. At the end of a successful tour of duty, he then had the honour of being the first ever military Officer from this country to return home with a United Nations Peacekeeping Medal.

Political Affiliations

In September 2000, Captain Griffith was then personally requested by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Honourable Basdeo Panday, to be reassigned to work directly with the Prime Minister himself, initially as the Comptroller of the Prime Minister's Residence, then also had him appointed as the Military Attaché to the Prime Minister, whereby Captain Griffith acquired several other responsibilities.[2] His role then became similar to that of the Aide de Camp to the President; hence he was also required to accompany the Prime Minister at most of his engagements. He was previously an Acting Senator for the Opposition and the Advisor for two Opposition parties on National Security matters. He was the Security Adviser to the political party the United National Congress from 2004- 2006 and then the Security Adviser to the political party Congress of the People from 2006- 2010, when he was then appointed as the National Security Adviser. In 2013 under the People's Partnership Gary Griffith was appointed National Security Minister, becoming the fourth person to hold the critical post, since the People's Partnership Government took power in 2010.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 "Ministry of National Security > AboutUs". nationalsecurity.gov.tt. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  2. ↑ "Griffith, PM's security adviser > Newspaper". newsday.co.tt. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  3. ↑ "Gary Griffith appointed National Security Minister > Newspaper". newsday.co.tt. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
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