GAB frontline faces retire

The welcoming faces and voices of civil service front-line staff will soon be reduced by two.

Government Administration Building Receptionist Mrs. Hope Stephenson is spending her last day at work on Friday, 10 April 2015. Meanwhile, Switchboard Operator Ms. Beatrice Chisholm, affectionately known as Ms B, is due to retire in June 2015.

Each woman has worked in the public sector for 25 years, including years spent with the Facilities Management team, which oversees the Government Administration Building and other public sector properties.

Wishing both women all the best in the future, Acting Facilities Manager Troy Whorms had high praise for their characters and their professionalism.

Mr Whorms described Ms Hope as carrying out her duties at the reception desk with grace, efficiency and an absolute commitment to excellence.

Adding that Ms Beatrice single-handedly operates government’s 949-7900 phone line, transferring some 300 calls a day to 62 government agencies, he said her consistently pleasant demeanour to customers and colleagues in the face of such a workload demonstrated the impact that strong customer service values have in frontline staff.

Earlier this month, Governor Helen Kilpatrick, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson and Planning Minister Kurt Tibbetts (under whose ministry the ladies were employed), along with Finance Minister Marco Archer Councillor Joey Hew, Attorney General Sam Bulgin, Auditor General, Alastair Swarbrick, Chief Officer Stran Bodden , Chief Officer Jennifer Ahearn, Acting Chief Officer Leyda Nicholson-Makasare and Acting Chief Officer Kathryn Dinspel-Powell joined civil service colleagues at a retirement party for the pair.

During the informal reception, which was held in the Government Administration Building, the officials presented the ladies with awards, presents and praise for their contributions.

Photo caption: Photo by Lennon Christian

Ms Beatrice (left) and Ms Hope, with their 25-year service awards, are seen with (back row, from left) Mr. Fisher ‘Porter’ Wright, Mr. Troy Whorms and Mr. Adam McLaren, staff members of the Facilities Management Department, which oversees GAB and other government properties.

See also iNews Cayman story published in iNews Briefs on April 6 2015 “Cayman Islands Civil Service says “Goodbye” to Hope and Beatrice” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/inews-briefs-335/