Tribute to Rosemond and Greg Print
Monday, 29 March 2010 11:42
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  • Gregory McAlpin - Director of Flight Safety
  • Greg & Rosemond
  • Greg with his Inspector's badge
  • ECCAA staff at Greg's Memorial
  • ECCAA's Search Team to Haiti
  • Rosemond, Brian and Greg
  • Rosemond James - Director General
  • Greg and Rosemond
  • ECCAA Retreat 2008
  • Christmas Party 2008
  • Rosemond (Christmas 2009)
  • Rosemond (Christmas 2009)
  • Greg and co. (Christmas 2009)
  • Greg and co.(Christmas 2009)
  • Rosemond gift exchanging
  • Fun with Greg
  • More Fun with Greg
Rosemond James - Director General
by Andrew "Ossie" Satney

In 1987, Mr. Rosemond James began his career in Aviation in a class room with Telecommunication and Navigation Aids Technicians from Jamaica, St. Kitts, Antigua, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Barbados and Guyana. This training programme was part of the DELCANADA Caribbean Airports Project, a project to enhance Civil Aviation in the Caribbean.

On 1st December 1987, Mr. James joined the OECS Aeradio, the entity mandated to provide technical support to all Member States of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) at the airports in the sub-region and which later became part of the OECS Directorate of Civil Aviation.

Mr. James served in the OECS Aeradio Division as a Technical Specialist, as Assistant Manager and as Manager. He was appointed Manager of Air Navigation Services in 2004 and later that year, he was appointed Director of Air Navigation Services. He held this position from then until October 2007.

In 2004, Mr. Herald Wilson, the then Director General of the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority was appointed the St. Lucia/OECS representative to the International Civil Aviation Organization. Following Mr. Wilson's appointment, Mr. James was appointed Acting Director General of the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority with effect from 1st November, 2004. He served the Authority as Acting Director General until October 2007, when he was appointed Director General.

During his tenure with the Directorate of Civil Aviation, Mr. James excelled in the performance of his duties. This is evidenced by the achievements he had made and the level of responsibility placed on him. He was considered a 'fast learner', a strong believer in training and development and encouraged his co-workers and peers to strive for excellence in their delivery of service. From early in his career, he appreciated the importance of excellent service.

This belief became his driving force and was often evident in the performance of his duties throughout his career -

  • As a Technical Specialist,
  • As Manager of Air Navigation Services,
  • As Director of Air Navigation Services,
  • As Acting Director General and
  • As Director General.

Mr. James was involved in the transformation of the OECS Directorate of Civil Aviation to what the Authority it is today:

  • The transformation from a Directorate of Civil Aviation to a civil aviation authority,
  • He played a critical role in the efforts of the ECCAA towards successfully attaining US FAA Category One Status, an exercise involving the drafting of regulations and the coordinating of the various audits carried out by the USFAA.
  • His leadership stood out in the Audit conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2007;

Throughout his career Mr. James served with distinction and excellence. His love for civil aviation and his burning desire for its advancement and enhancement went beyond the boundaries of the OECS. He actively pursued these goals at the Caribbean level through the Regional Aviation Safety Oversight System (RASSOS) which later became the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Oversight System (CASSOS), and beyond the Caribbean at the level of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). In all of these fora, his tenacity and determination was noticeable. He maintained excellent relationships with the other regional Civil Aviation Authorities and was always vigilant in his search for benefits that these relationships could bring to the region.

His relentless effort to bring training to the region has been remarkable. In 2009 a year affected by the H1N1 virus and adverse economic conditions, he was instrumental in the organization of at least four (4) training programmes in the OECS.

He often attended these courses; however on many occasions, the exigencies of his position did not permit his full attendance. His last training course was an ICAO organized course on State Safety Programmes, a very critical programme for regulatory authorities and one that he felt would be of tremendous benefit to the OECS.

Mr. James departed this life doing what he had dedicated his life to do. He will be greatly missed by all of us at the ECCAA, within the OECS, at the regional and international civil aviation communities. He has served the community with distinction, commitment and dedication.

While we mourn today, we resolve that his legacy will be a source of inspiration to us all as we continue to build the kind of civil aviation regulatory system that is so critical to our region.

We extend our deepest sympathy to his mother Daphne, his widow DenVanter and daughter Zoey, his sister Kimberly and her family, his sisters-in-law and their families and all his relative and friends.

Gregory McAlpin - Director of Flight Safety
by Capt. Brian Sanguinette

My association with Greg began in 1998 when we both joined the then OECS DCA within a month of each other.  Because we were both from the same country there was an automatic bond and Greg being Greg that was very easy.  He was a technology addict, a “limer” – you would not believe the amount of people Greg new in Antigua – he had vapses – he would come to work one morning and say “guys know what I just bought a bike a week later I would say ”what about that bike” “ and he would say “the legs and the rear end could not take the pressure so I am now looking at an ATV”.

Greg was also very much involved with the HASH group in Antigua which was a carry over from Trinidad, in fact in the early stages Laurie Parke and himself were the ones that laid out the various trails and I remember them bagging all the shredded paper from the office to use as markers for those trails. Greg was the life of what ever was going on and of which all of his friends will attest to……. we will all truly miss him.

From a professional standpoint – Gregory Andre Mc Alpin was born in Port of Spain Trinidad on 28th January 1961. He joined the Directorate of Civil Aviation of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS DCA) on 10th August 1998 as an Airworthiness Surveyor. Before joining the OECS DCA, he was employed with BWIA as an Aircraft Mechanic from 1981 to 1988 and later with the Civil Aviation Division of Trinidad and Tobago. 

At the Civil Aviation Department of Trinidad and Tobago, he worked closely with Laurie Parke his very close friend, who was at the time affiliated to the UK Civil Aviation Authority and on secondment to Trinidad and Tobago CAA as an Airworthiness Inspector.

Greg’s move to the OECS DCA was in response to a request from Laurie Parke who at that time was on contract with the OECS DCA asking him whether he was interested in joining the organisation and to which Greg graciously accepted.
From the beginning of his tenure with the OECS DCA Greg demonstrated a very disciplined attitude to his duties. His earlier acquired knowledge, skills and experience in his chosen field enabled him to integrate himself into the OECS DCA and he soon became one of the main team members.

On 1st December 1999, just over one year’s service with the OECS DCA, he was confirmed in the the post of Airworthiness Inspector.  He became the first local Airworthiness Inspector of the OECS DCA.

As an Airworthiness Inspector, Greg excelled in the performance of his duties. This is evidenced by the achievements he has made and the level of responsibility he was given.

He performed Airworthiness related duties regionally and internationally for and on behalf of the DCA of the OECS and later for the ECCAA and provided critical leadership in the development of the Flight Safety Division in general.
Greg was appointed as the Project Manager for the Flight Safety Division in order for this department to achieve its Category One Status from the FAA.

Under this assignment which involved the drafting and passage of the existing Civil Aviation Regulations and coordinating the various audits carried out by the US FAA, Greg lead the efforts of the then OECS DCA now ECCAA towards successfully attaining US FAA Category One Status. 

On 7th September 2004, Greg was promoted to the position of Manager of the Flight Safety Division and in keeping with the newly formed ECCAA, on 1st November 2004, he was appointed to the position of Director – Flight Safety Division. 

In 2007, he played a pivotal role in the preparation for the ICAO audit of the ECCAA as part of its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme. 

He has represented the Authority at many regional and international fora such as the Regional Aviation Safety Oversight System (RASOS) now (CASOS), ICAO, and the USA Federal Aviation Administration to name a few. 

So in closing I would like to say on behalf of all his friends and colleagues………… farewell Greg.