BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – After more than three decades of service in the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force and the St. Kitts Nevis Fire and Rescue Services, Deputy Fire Chief will soon hang up his uniform for the last time and going into retirement from the service.
Yesterday (Sept 21), at the compound of the Basseterre Fire Department, officers of the Service held a “Retirement Ceremony” for the DFC James Warner, during which he was thanked in appreciation of his 33 ½ years of service and for the legacy he leaves.
Fire Chief (FC) Hester Rawlins, on behalf of the membership of the St. Kitts Nevis Fire and Rescue Services and of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, thanked Warner for the “sterling” service he rendered at both institutions, for periods 10 years and 23 years respectively.
He said Warner will be best remembered for the role he played in the upkeep of the vehicles assigned to those organizations and the effect of that role, which brought about a decrease in spending from the public purse. The FC also indicated that the fact that Warner spent over three decades in organizations which have discipline as their benchmark, is “something worthy of note”.
Force Personnel Officer, Wendell Wattley said although he has not known Warner for a long time, he sees him as the “ultimate professional” and one who executes his duties with “passion”. He also expressed the view that “the Services is losing someone of great value” and although he doesn’t have to power to assign Warner as an advisor, he would hope that someone find it prudent to tap into his 30 plus years of expertise.
Warner, whose retirement takes effect in November, was thanked by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, the Hon. Sam T. Condor, on behalf of the government and people of the Federation, for his “loyal and conscientious” service to the people of this country.
Glowing tributes were showered on the DFC outgoing by his subordinates who described him as honest, analytical, committed, dedicated, no-nonsense person, a stickler for discipline and a man of discipline.
With a sense of pride, accomplishment and contentment, Warner expressed his own appreciation to all for their words of thanks and appreciation and noted that he made a habit of carrying out his duties, “to the best of my ability and in a way that I hope was beneficial to the success of the organization.”
The outgoing DFC paid homage to six individuals whom he said were responsible for mentoring him and taking him through his career’s infancy stages: former Commissioner, Stanley V. Franks; former Assistant Superintendent of Police, Dudley Williams; former Assistant Superintendent of Police, James E. Dyer; former Superintendent in charge of the Fire Services, the late William Galloway; former Deputy Commissioner of Police, the late Edward E. O. Hughes and former Assistant Superintendent of Police, Udelle Adams.
Providing words of advice to those officers who will continue to serve in his absence, Warner expressed, “Gentlemen, ladies and co-workers, as I make my exit, let me remind each of you that fire fighting is one of the most dangerous and challenging tasks. You must be mentally alert and physically fit at all times. You cannot over emphasize the importance of safety for yourselves. Each one must have an eye out for the other. According to an old maxim, “each one teach one”. Constant training is of paramount importance and should be continuous in all areas and at all levels.
“Rules and regulations must be adhered to. Support the leadership of the organization and carry out your daily duties in a positive manner and to the best of your abilities. Strive to develop and maintain positive attitudes and motivation, even though sometimes the road may seem difficult. Always go the extra mile, one never knows what lies ahead. Let the following words become a part of the way you conduct yourselves especially on the job; loyalty, punctuality, obedience, commitment, honesty, respectful, dedication, patience and love. There is no room for hypocrisy and complacency within a successful organization.”
Warner’s retirement takes effect November 1, 2010.
