National Weather Service staff honoured

(CNS Local Life): The Cayman Islands National Weather Service (CINWS) honoured two employees at its Christmas party, held 25 November. Shamal Clarke was voted employee of the year and Avalon Porter was awarded for marking 35 years with the service. Clarke, who took up his role as a meteorologist in January, is the youngest member of staff.

CINWS director John Tibbetts said of Clarke: “He has made remarkable contributions in a number of vital areas for the weather service including technical support for our website.

“Mr Clarke is also a leading member of the team-building unit and a leading contributor to an in-house project for getting an increased resolution world weather model.

“It was my pleasure to give Mr Clarke this award because he has been very innovative and has challenged us to expand our possibilities within the weather service.”

Originally from Ocho Rios, Jamaica, but with family in the Cayman Islands, Clarke has a bachelor of science degree in meteorology from the University of the West Indies and an aeronautical forecasting certificate from the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology in Barbados. During his time at the institute he spent a period with the CINWS taking final steps to become a qualified weather forecaster.

Clarke said of his award, “I was at first surprised I was voted for employee of the year but then I had a sense of happiness to know that my co-workers thought I deserved it.”

He is one of the officers responsible for issuing the daily public weather forecast as well as severe weather, hurricane and marine bulletins.

Clarke was nominated for employee of the year alongside administration and support officer Shakira Gregory and weather observer Limardo Scott.

Porter, who hails from Cayman Brac, began his career as an aeronautical information services officer with the Department of Civil Aviation and progressed to be an air traffic controller before transferring to the newly formed weather office. His career there led him to become a weather observer and forecaster prior to becoming a meteorologist.

“I am very happy to have received the long-service award for all the years that I have been here,” Porter said.

His list of duties includes preparing daily public weather forecasts; severe weather warnings such as flooding, tropical storms and hurricane; marine warnings (seas and winds); forecasts for pilots; and monitoring the weather in the region.

“Mr. Porter has been a critical member of the weather service staff and is now the lead officer for both the weather radar and statistical data base matters,” said Tibbetts.

“It was a pleasure to give him this award because of his high level of commitment to the weather service. We would not be where we are today without him.”

Tags: Cayman Islands National Weather Service, Employee of the Year, Featured

Category: Weather