Posted: Sunday, July 20, 2025. 7:54 am CST.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: Three senior officers of the Belize Defence Force (BDF) are among the first cohort to graduate from Galen University’s newly launched Post Graduate Diploma in Disaster Risk Management. Colonel Jermain Burns, Major Gilbert Myvett, and Major Zenon Ciego were part of a group of 43 professionals who completed the year-long academic program, aimed at building national resilience and preparedness in the face of growing threats and disasters.
The postgraduate diploma was developed in direct response to Belize’s urgent need for trained disaster risk professionals. Prior to the program’s launch, the number of formally trained experts in this field in the country was fewer than ten. With this first graduating class, that figure has jumped to nearly 50, significantly enhancing the capacity of both public and private sectors.
The intensive program equipped professionals and first responders with advanced strategies for managing disaster risk. The curriculum placed strong emphasis on community-based disaster risk management, including critical themes such as protection of vulnerable populations, safe school initiatives, continuity planning, psychosocial support, and recovery mechanisms.
Students concluded the course with a research forum, where they presented projects addressing real-world challenges in disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. While the course focused primarily on natural disasters like hurricanes, it also covered emerging risks such as cybersecurity threats, manmade conflicts, and climate-driven hazards.
Graduates came from key government ministries including Education, Health and Wellness, the Blue Economy, Disaster Risk Management, and National Defence, as well as other sectors central to national resilience efforts.
The BDF has extended congratulations to its officers and expressed confidence that the knowledge gained will be applied immediately to bolster national disaster preparedness and response. This academic milestone represents a major step forward in Belize’s ongoing efforts to strengthen resilience at every level of society.
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The post BDF officers among graduates of Galen University’s first disaster risk management cohort appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Sunday, July 20, 2025. 7:54 am CST. By Breaking Belize News Staff: Three senior officers of the Belize Defence Force (BDF) are among the first
The post BDF officers among graduates of Galen University’s first disaster risk management cohort appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
