Decorated Trinidad and Tobago Rear Admiral (RADM), Hayden A. Pritchard has been appointed to serve on the five-member Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the MV Barima tragedy.

Pritchard is a retired military professional with over 38 years of experience in security and maritime operations, policy development, change management and public and security sector reform. He is also renowned for his experience in maritime safety, logistics, port and ship development and personnel management

He ended his military career as Chief of Defence Staff, head of his country’s military. The Rear Admiral is also well recognised for leading successful projects in port and maritime operations, security organisational development, ship design, business continuity and crisis management.

Education
1987 – Britannia Royal Naval College, UK (1yr)
· Naval Officer Certificate Training
1989 – Canadian Coast Guard College (1yr)
· Maritime Officer Certificate Training
2000 – University of the West Indies
· BSc Hons. Management specialization minor in Finance (4yr)
2002 – Institute of Finance and Research Chennai, India
· Certificate (4 wks) Decision Support Systems Finance
2003 – Carnegie Mellon, Heinz School
· Master Certificate, Project Management (1yr)
2005 – United States Merchant Marine Academy
· Facility and Vessel Security Program (2wks)
2009 – Royal Military College of Canada
· Master of Defence and Strategic Studies (1yr)
2010 – Aston University UK
· MSc Logistics (Port Development) (3yrs)
2010 – National Defense University Washington, US
· Caribbean Defense and Security Course (6wks)
2017 – Marshall Center Germany
· Marshall Center Scholar ( 4 wk Research Program)
2014 – University of the West Indies
· PhD Candidate – Governance and Policy

Languages
· English: Mother tongue
· Spanish

Experience
· 1985 – 2019 – Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force ( Coast Guard)
· 1985 – 1994 – Junior Officer
· 1994 – 1996 – United Nations Haiti; Peace Keeping and Nation Building
· 1996 – 2014 – Various Command and Staff Appointments
· 2010 – 2012 – Commander Operations; Responsible for design of TTDF Joint Operations framework Including National and regional ( Grenada, St Vincent, St Lucia) Coastal Surveillance Radar Center and Project
· 2005 – 2007 – Commander Port Security
· 2007 – 2013 – Various operational and administrative postings.
· 2014 – 2017 – Commanding Officer Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard
· 2017 – 2019 – Chief of Defence Staff TTDF
· 2018 – 2019 – Chair of Inter-Ministerial Committee for Counter Terrorism Strategy
· 2018 – 2019 – Principal Point of Contact for Trinidad and Tobago’s National Security Architecture Reform initiatives with International Community
· 2019 – Present – Consultant Strategic Security and Policy Development
· Consultant that produced the Policy Guidelines for the National Operations Fusion Centre (NOFC)
· Lead Technical Consultant in the design and implementation of selection instruments for the post of Deputy Commissioner of Police Trinidad and Tobago
· Lead Technical Consultant in the design and implementation of selection instruments for the post of Deputy Chief Personnel Officer Trinidad and Tobago
· Lead. Technical Consultant in the design and implementation of selection instruments for the post of Commissioner of Police Trinidad andTobago

Career Highlights
· National Chair of the Inter ministerial committee for implementation of Trinidad and Tobago’s Counter Terrorism Strategy which was approved in November 2017
· Lead the drafting of Trinidad and Tobago’ first National Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) and Counter Terrorism (CT) Plans, with the assistance of international partners such as Hedayah, and Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) of the United Kingdom
· Developed the policy manual for the operation of the National Operations Center
· Trinidad and Tobago’s lead on Counter Terrorism in MOU on National Security with the UK
· Lead and hosted Caribbean Nations Security Conference (CANSEC) in conjunction with US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) in Trinidad in December 2018
· Head of Trinidad and Tobago Delegation at Conference of Defence Ministers of the Americas (CDMA) 2018 Cancun, Mexico
· Lead and hosted the first ever seminar by Marshall Center Germany in Latin America and the Caribbean. The seminar dealt with Counter Terrorism and Returning Terrorist Fighters
· Lead the drafting of a massive policy agenda as a key element in the reform of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF)
· Country Lead on Defence Institution Reform Initiative (DIRI) in conjunction with the Perry Center Washington
· Lead the production of the latest Strategic Plan of the TTDF
· Lead the production of the latest TTCG Strategic Plan
· Visiting Adjunct Professor Counter Transnational Organized Crime (CTOC) and Program on Terrorism and Security Studies (PTSS) Marshall Center Germany
· Hosted several visiting international delegations with regard to Trinidad and Tobago’s national security architecture
· Country lead and instrumental in the acquisition of twelve Coastal Patrol Vessels from the Netherlands and two from Austal, Australia
· Designated authority for port security Trinidad and Tobago
· Lead the planning and oversight of Disaster Relief operations Dominica and Grenada
· Completed Marshall Center Scholar program Germany
· Longest serving CARICOM national in United Nations Mission in Haiti (1994 – 1996)
· Programme manager for Coastal Surveillance Radar System in; Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St. Vincent and St Lucia

Awards and Honours
· Chartered member of Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), UK
· UN Peacekeeping Medal UNMIH (2)
· US Army Achievement Medal
· 2 US Army Commendation Medals
· Delaware National Guard Commendation Medal
· 6 National Medals
. Medal of Merit (Gold) Trinidad and Tobago