Charles Webbe, the veteran Tourism Department media chief, has finally retired after 34 years promoting Bermuda at home and abroad.

Mr. Webbe, 64, stepped down as public relations manager in March but the Tourism Ministry continued to draw on his vast experience and contacts until June by keeping him on as a consultant.

Renowned for his immaculate dress sense and manners, Mr. Webbe was a star asset for Bermuda both on the Island and abroad.

"I have enjoyed this job right until the end. It is one of the finest opportunities I have had to work to promote Bermuda overseas," he told The Royal Gazette this week.

"I hope I have made many friends for Bermuda as I've certainly made many friends for myself."

Mr. Webbe began his career as a journalist working for the Mid-Ocean News before leaving for Britain in the early 1960's to work for the Western Mail in Cardiff, Wales, and the Oxford Mail in England.

He returned to Bermuda after five years to work for the Mid-Ocean News, The Royal Gazette and ZBM, before joining the Tourism Department in 1968 as a senior feature writer.

He was then transferred to New York as an assistant sales manager before becoming the manager of the Bermuda News Bureau in the Big Apple which promoted the Island before the Department employed public relations companies.

In the mid-1970's he returned to Bermuda as community relations manager, dealing with hotels and promoting the importance of tourism to Bermudians.

His next job in the Department was as manager of the News Bureau, which later evolved into Government Information Services (GIS).

The advent of GIS saw Mr. Webbe take up his last job as Tourism's public relations manager, dealing with overseas public relations companies.

He insisted he did not regret any part of his career. "I did what I thought needed to be done, and if I did any wrong things it is too late to regret them," he said.

"Right now I am enjoying myself and I have a couple of projects to keep me occupied," including doing tourism promotion slots on ZBM.

A gentleman to the end, Mr. Webbe has no intention of spilling the beans on any hidden scandals which may have dogged the Department during his time there.

"When you are close to an organisation for a very long time, you tend to know where the bodies are buried and sometimes it is wiser that the information is buried with you," he said.