Work of Civil Servants Vital – Dalley

A total of 235 public servants were honoured for their longstanding contribution to the development of the country at the annual Jamaica Civil Service Long Service Awards ceremony held on Wednesday (November 21) at King’s House

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen; Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, and Minister with responsibility for Public Service, Ministry of Finance and Planning, Hon. Horace Dalley, headed the list of dignitaries, who handed out the awards.

Other presenters were Senator Arthur Williams, who represented the Leader of the Opposition, Andrew Holness; Cabinet Secretary, and Head of the Public Service, Ambassador Douglas Saunders; and Second Vice President of First Heritage Credit Union Limited, Michael Roofe.

In his remarks, Mr. Dalley congratulated the awardees for the unwavering commitment they have displayed in service to the country.  He said that the work being done by civil servants is vital to the nation and the country’s place in the world.

“I want to convey my thanks on behalf of the Government of Jamaica for the tremendous work you have done in advancing the policies, daily activities, programmes and initiatives that promote our national development,” Mr. Dalley said.

He said that as the members of the service are being honoured, “we should take the time to reflect on where we are as a service, what we have done and chart the course for the next 50 years.”

In a citation to the awardees, it was noted that public servants have played a role in the development of the country through the sound implementation of policies, the efficient delivery of service and the steadfast adherence to principles of integrity and sound judgment.

“The people of Jamaica, both at home and in the Diaspora, salute you for being builders of this remarkable nation, Jamaica land we love,” the citation said.

The awardees were drawn from a wide cross-section of persons, who have been employed for 25 years or more within the various ministries, statutory and executive agencies and other public bodies.  

They included civilians in the military and constabulary force; doctors, nurses and other medical workers in the public health system; customs officers; agricultural extension workers, legal officers, foreign service ambassadors and administrators.

Among the honourees was Trevor Herdsman, who has served over 25 years at Tax Administration Jamaica, who said he felt humbled to be recognised.

Mr. Herdsman, who works at the Customer Service Centre based in May Pen, Clarendon, told JIS News that he is seeking “to change the face of Tax Administration”.  “It’s a long journey. It has been fun, very rewarding and I have learnt a lot, meeting a lot of persons and really developing on the job,” he added.

Performance Monitoring Officerat the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development,Daphne Williams said she felt “very honoured” to be recognised after “many hard years of sacrifices.”

The awards ceremony was the highlight of activities to mark Civil Service Week from November 18 to 23. The annual week of activities is geared towards highlighting the work and worth of outstanding civil servants, who have given excellent service to central government and to the country as a whole.

On Thursday (November 22), Ministries will have their in-house activities, and the Jamaica Civil Service Association will host its Secondary School Quiz Competition at the Medallion Hall Hotel.