Ex-fire chief to chair President's Award

FORMER chief fire officer Roosevelt Bruce has been appointed chairman of the board of the President's Award (TPATT).

Bruce succeeded Cdr Anthony S Franklin

Franklin thanked TPATT for the privilege of serving the association, which he said provides the most effective skills and community oriented, informal education and training programme to make the nation’s youth good citizens.

In a statement Franklin said the change is part of the corporate operations in keeping with the licence from the International Award Foundation to deliver the award in TT.

“This development, as well as the recommendation from the award office, brought about change in the governance and business operations models of TPATT."

He explained that in July, the articles of incorporation of January 23, 2008 and the associated by-laws, now amended and adopted on June 6, 2020, were operationalised. He said sub-licence agreements are being rolled out to award centres, formerly called units and will start on January 1, 2021.

“An important element of the changes that are taking place is the appointment of a new chairman. During the last six months, TPATT was engaged in a search for an appropriate officers and additional Board members.”

He said there were several expressions of interest and Bruce was identified as the candidate, having outstanding leadership and management abilities as well as the influential network required to take the award forward.

Bruce is a former participant in the awards programme which he entered as a leader in 1993 and became head of the first aid panel in 1994.

Recommendations were made to President Paula-Mae Weekes, patron of the award, who accepted and approved his appointment.

Bruce retired from the Fire Services in March 2019.