Hundreds of Public Servants Honoured For Long Service

A total of 399 public servants, representing 21 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), have been recognised for upwards of 20 years of service to the Government and country.

They were presented with awards at the Jamaica Civil Service Long Service Awards Ceremony held on Wednesday, November 19, at King’s House.

The event was part of this year’s activities by the Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA) to mark Civil Service Week from November 16 to 22 under the theme: ‘Public Sector Advancement through Partnership and Collaboration’.

With 185 honourees, the Ministry of Health dominated the award list; followed by Post and Telecommunications Department, 39; and the Ministries of Agriculture and Fisheries, and Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, with 23 and 22 recipients, respectively.

The stellar event was well attended by a wide cross section of dignitaries, officials, and other guests.

Among them were: Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen; Prime Minister the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller; Minister without Portfolio with responsibility for the Public Service in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Hon. Horace Dalley; and Opposition Spokesman on Labour, Social Security, and Public Service, Pearnel Charles, who represented Opposition Leader, Andrew Holness.

Senior Customs Officer at the Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA), Sean Barrow, who is the 2014/15 Civil Servant of the Year, was also presented with his award at the event.

He succeeds Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Production Manager, Enthrose Campbell, who concluded a successful and fruitful tenure in 2013/14.

In commending the recipients, Mr. Dalley noted that the long service awards represent “the nation’s way of saying thanks to those persons, who have given faithful service to our country and our people.”

“It is even more relevant at this time, given the Government’s focus on public sector transformation, the requirement for all civil servants to be even more committed to the task of governance. Customer service…as an underpinning of better service delivery, requires that public sector workers rise above the traditional ways of serving our people. It requires service with a smile and, importantly, service through partnership and collaboration,” the Minister said.

Mr. Dalley pointed out that the Government and wider nation recognise the “stellar” contributions of public sector workers, adding that “the award of medals of appreciation for long and faithful service, today, is but one such initiative to demonstrate our collective gratitude to you.”

“I, therefore, commend all the 2014 long service awardees, and…encourage you to continue to give of your best as, together, we pursue the advancement of our country,” he said.

Prior to the presentations, the Governor-General’s Proclamation, approving the awards, was read by Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Speech, Drama and Literary Arts Specialist, Andrew Brodber.

He also read the JCSA Citation, which acknowledged the contribution of public servants to the Government, and was presented to the Governor-General by JCSA President, O’Neil Grant.