A team within the Department of Sport and Recreation have been honoured for their hard work overcoming technical challenges with the July Public Service Excellence Award.

Staff involved in the Government’s summer camp registrations were recognised for their dedication to helping families through the process despite technical hurdles.

They included Kimberly Bean, the department’s director, Kenneth Bartram, Mia Butterfield, Michele Romaine, Anita Dowling and Shelly-Ann Carter-Trott.

Zane DeSilva, the Acting Premier, said the team displayed outstanding dedication in the face of significant challenges.

He added: “At a time when many families were understandably concerned and frustrated, these public officers remained patient, responsive and solution oriented.

“Their willingness to go above and beyond, including working outside normal hours to assist parents and resolve issues, exemplifies the highest standards of public service.”

A government spokeswoman said that this year the process included a new online system intended to create a fairer experience for families seeking summer camp placements, but the launch faced technical issues that caused delays, access problems and a lottery allocation error that affected a number of registrations.

She said: “While the department did not have responsibility for the platform’s technical infrastructure or software development, the team served as the public facing point of contact throughout the difficulties and worked tirelessly to support concerned parents.

“For several weeks, team members responded to a high volume of calls, e-mails and inquiries from families seeking assistance.

“They worked closely with government partners and service providers to identify solutions, provide updates and ensure parents received the support they needed during a particularly stressful period.

“Throughout the challenges, the team remained professional, patient and focused on delivering the best possible outcomes for Bermuda's children and families.”

The spokeswoman added that when a lottery allocation issue was identified, the team went above and beyond their regular duties to address the problem as quickly as possible, devoting personal time to contact families, review options and secure revised placements.

She said: “Their proactive approach helped minimise disruption and provided reassurance to parents at a critical time.”

Cherie Whitter, the Head of the Public Service, said the team embodied the values of public service during a period of intense public scrutiny.

She added: “While we acknowledge the Government’s part in the system failures, this front-facing team demonstrated their commitment to doing whatever is necessary to make things right when challenges arise.

“Despite circumstances beyond their control, they remained focused on supporting families with professionalism, empathy and compassion.

“Their determination to finding solutions, maintaining public confidence and ensuring children could participate in summer camp programmes reflects a level of service that deserves recognition.”