On Friday (Dec. 8), Premier David Burt congratulated the Government of Bermuda’s Compensation & Benefits (C&B) Team, who are the Public Service Excellence Awards (PSEA) winners for November.
The C&B Team which falls under the Cabinet Office’s Department of Employee and Organisational Development are being recognized for their exceptional efforts following network disruptions due to steps taken to isolate the Government’s financial management system.
This month’s awardees are Marilyn Cameron, Doreen Simmons, Troyeisha Weeks, Keasha Richardson, Sharmila Basden, Denika Minors, Arlene Trott, Laurie Wade, Mauriaca Ollivierre, Davita Cann, Donna Tucker, and Nicole Young.
The Team faced unprecedented challenges in ensuring timely payroll processing for Government of Bermuda employees and pensioners during September and October. During this time, they were also required to process a static payroll, on-board new employees, and develop a reconciliation plan in preparation for network restoration.
The complex nature of payroll processing for thousands of public officers is compounded by collective agreements with six unions representing seven bargaining units, all operating under different pay structures. Notwithstanding, the C&B team collaborated with the Accountant General, Department and Ministry Comptrollers, and payroll administrators across the Service and worked tirelessly to manually process payments and reconcile weekly and monthly payrolls. This effort was particularly commendable as it required the team to overcome significant operational challenges in an environment impacted by lack of systems connectivity.
Premier David Burt said, “This team deserves our absolute gratitude for going above and beyond to ensure that thousands of their colleagues received compensation. The C&B Team found innovative solutions by working relentlessly, during evenings and weekends over a sustained period of time. We are truly appreciative of their service and their commitment to excellence during what was a considerably complex and challenging time. Thank you all. This is an incredibly well-deserved recognition.”
Head of Public Service Cherie Whitter said, “The Compensation & Benefits team’s unwavering commitment to overcoming challenges and ensuring the timely processing of payroll is a testament to their dedication to public service excellence. Their resilience during unprecedented times reflects the values we seek to uphold in the public sector. The Government of Bermuda extends its heartfelt congratulations to the Compensation & Benefits team and all other nominees for their exceptional service to the people of Bermuda.”
The PSEA programme recognizes Public Officers who are demonstrating admirable service delivery. Each month an individual or team is selected for their significant accomplishments in the last 60 days.