The Head of the Public Service, Cherie Whitter, is pleased to announce that Mr. Tarik Christopher has been appointed as the Chief Engineer within the Department of Works and Engineering.
As the Chief Engineer, Mr. Christopher will work under the policy direction of the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Public Works and Environment, and is responsible for the financial, human and project management of the Department of Works and engineering including policies and standards. The seven sections of engineering include Highways, Structures, Electrical/Mechanical, Solid Waste, Water and Wastewater, the Tynes Bay Waste-to-Energy Facility and the Quarry Facility.
With a career spanning more than two decades, Mr. Christopher began his journey with the Ministry as a bursary student and trainee in 2001. Over the years, he has risen through the ranks, serving as Operations Engineer and later as Principal of the Water Section.
During his career, Mr. Christopher implement a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) Program allowing managers to remotely monitor water and sewage sections (ongoing since 2015). He was the Project Manager on developing a Water and Wastewater servicing strategy (Master Plan) for the parish of St. Georges, Bermuda. This strategy and expansion was implemented to all the central and eastern parishes. He was the Project Manager for the expansion and final commissioning of the Tynes Bay Seawater Reverse Osmosis Plant (TBSWRO), and he’s received the National Government Leadership award, on behalf of the Bermuda Government, from the Alliance for polyethene (PE) pipe for his work on implementing the use of High-Density Polyethene pipe to replace legacy water and sewage mains as part of the Water and Wastewater masterplan.
Prior to his appointment, Mr. Christopher served in an Acting capacity. During his tenure as Acting Chief Engineer, Mr. Christopher was pivotal in advancing numerous initiatives across the Department of Works and Engineering, covering key areas such as Highways, Tynes Bay, Structures, and Water Services. This also included ensuring the safe and successful management of the Department of Works and Engineering’s Emergency Measures Organisation (EMO) responsibilities through Hurricane Lee (2023) and Hurricane Ernesto (2024).
Tarik Christopher has a Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering (B.Eng.) from Dalhousie University; is a Professional Engineer (P, Eng) registered in Bermuda and Alberta; and has a Graduate Diploma in Management (GDM) from Athabasca University. Mr. Christopher is currently completing his MBA, further enhancing his skills in leading the department.