Barbados
Mr. Frederick Lloyd Cozier was born in Barbados on 18th March 1920. He attended Wesley Hall Boys’ Primary School during the years 1924 to 1931 and Harrison College from 1932 to 1939. He was also enrolled at New College, Oxford University during 1955-1956 while attending the Second Devonshire Course for Overseas Administrative Officers of the British Colonial Service. In 1960, Mr. Cozier attended a Social Development Course at the University of Swansea, Wales.
After leaving Harrison College in July 1939, Mr. Cozier joined the Barbados Government Civil Service as a Clerk in the Colonial Secretary’s Office and gained promotion to the grade of Assistant Secretary in 1951.
When the Cabinet System of Government was introduced in Barbados in 1958, Mr. Cozier was among the first group of Permanent Secretaries chosen to be in charge of the four Ministries set up at the time. He was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Social Services. In 1962, he was transferred to the post of Permanent Secretary to the Premier of Barbados and was to become the first Barbadian to hold the position of Cabinet Secretary.
When Barbados attained its Independence in 1966, Mr. Cozier was appointed to the newly established post of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs with responsibility for the establishment of the Barbados Foreign Service and Overseas Missions. From that position he was seconded in 1968 to be the first Secretary-General of the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA).
His primary responsibility in the initial year 1968-1969 was the establishment of the Commonwealth Caribbean Regional Secretariat at Colgrain House in Georgetown, Guyana, and in servicing the several committees set up by the Caribbean Heads of Government to give effect to the provisions of CARIFTA.
Mr. Frederick Cozier retired from the Public Service of Barbados on November 1970. Though retired, Mr. Cozier was invited by the Barbados Government to be the Officer-in-Charge of the Harrison’s Case Development Project, which was undertaken during the years 1975-1981.
During the years 1975 to 1985 Mr. Cozier also held Membership of the Public Service Commission of Barbados and for the three latter years he was Deputy Chairman. In 1963 he received the award of OBE.
Mr. Cozier was for many years an active member of the cricket and football teams of the Spartan Club of Barbados. During the years 1940 to 1953 he was the goalkeeper of the Barbados Football Team, and participated in several Caribbean inter-territorial matches.