“Do not underestimate the power of discipline and consistency in compliance; it’s often the small daily actions that build habits that give you the edge and impact the safety of your operations and of others. A simple thing such as reporting things you see, promotes a culture of safety and encourages each team member to meet expectations”
Photo credit: Luvo Productions Ltd.
Tishelle is the Director of Compliance for D.S.Belcon’s operations across Trinidad, Guyana and Suriname. Tishelle has worked for the past three years in the logistics company that her father founded, but she knew from early in life that this was where she wanted to be after tagging along with her parents as they built the company.
Her responsibility is significant, primarily focusing on compliance and regulatory matters across Trinidad, Suriname, and to a lesser degree, Guyana. She is adamant that creating her own identity and being successful on the basis of her ability and not her relationship to her ‘boss’, are what motivate her.
Tishelle’s heart always seemed set on carving out a path within the 27-year old company which her father and mentor has poured his life’s energy into, first in T&T, then Guyana and now Suriname. In pursuit of this, she decided on an Associates degree in Paralegal studies while she gained on-the-job legal experience at Dentons Delany. After her move to D.S. Belcon and consideration of her job scope there, she quickly signed up for Project Management studies as it seemed more directly related to what she is now called on to do. She played a major role in the incorporation of the operations in Suriname and does a great deal of stakeholder interaction. Part of her responsibility also involves keeping up with technological and regulatory changes to ensure that they are always compliant and in the game. When you’ve witnessed first-hand the challenges of a family-run business it’s easy to understand her focus on business continuity and succession planning.
Tishelle oversees 22 employees in Trinidad and 8 in Suriname, all under her leadership at age 30, and she candidly shared her experience across cultures and countries. It’s been a learning for her, as she has noted a very distinct approach and response from employees in both locations, to the safety protocols she must enforce; her approach has been to use positive reinforcement and interactive sessions when she finds there is resistance. If employees are given the chance to actively contribute and make recommendations, she has noticed they are more likely to cooperate.
What is daunting at times is the vast responsibility and accountability in a sector that she admits is volatile at the best of times. How does she counter this? “My aim is to always be ahead of the game by keeping up to date; being proactive helps to remove uncertainty and anxiety that can arise. I also appreciate the valuable experience of persons that I can lean on and go to for advice”.
With many more years in the profession still ahead and much more to learn, Tishelle has a vision for creating a regional culture where safety is prioritized through people-focused practices. She insists that it is the human factor in safety that makes all the difference and believes that this will continue to be so, in spite of changing technologies and systems. What is also clear is that her visionary leadership and commitment to discipline and compliance with regulatory requirements will continue to position her family’s business as a leader in shipping and logistics the energy sector regionally.