Lt. Cdr. John McFarlane  

Canada/Caribbean Regional Trustee  

John began a career in the Jamaica Defence Force in 1967. Some of the many appointments held during his nearly 25 years with the JDF included service as Aide de Camp to His Excellency the Governor General of Jamaica; Commanding Officer of the JDF Coast Guard and Commanding Officer of the JDF Air Wing. He qualified as a Ship’s Captain, Military and Commercial Pilot, and Naval Diver.  

As consultant to the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC), he developed and established the Kingston Metropolitan School Bus System and the JUTC’s Eastern Franchise operations.  He was appointed as Senior Director Airport Operations in October 2012 and retired in 2017.  He now consults in areas of aviation security and airport operations; disaster, emergency, and crisis management; transportation policy; and lectures at the Caribbean Maritime University.  

John was Jamaica’s Delegate to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and has represented Jamaica in several other capacities. 

In his spare time, he is a keen musician (playing piano, organ, violin and guitar) and singer and has performed as Guest Soloist with all major choirs in Jamaica and was the founding tenor soloist with the National Chorale of Jamaica. He has performed in many cities in the United Kingdom and the Americas.