Eighteen civil servants received merit awards for outstanding work during 1997.

In a small conference room at Personnel Services in Global House on Church Street, family, friends, and senior civil servants warmly congratulated the recipients as they were handed cheques.

Merit award winners are selected from more than 1,700 white-collar workers by department heads, with final selection by the Public Service Commission.

Guest speaker, General Secretary of the Bermuda Public Services Association, Edward Ball Jr. said: "It always gives me great pleasure to know that the Bermuda Government employs some of Bermuda's most conscientious workers.'' Mr. Ball called for a unified programme to "enhance a worker's motivation to work''.

To do this he said there are three key areas of performance where managers could focus:definition, facilitation, and management.

Mr. Ball said the incentive programmes must be "simple, specific, attainable, and measurable''.

"You are not afraid of the work pressures,'' Mr. Ball told the recipients.

"That pressure is what turns a lump of coal into a diamond.'' Presenter and Assistant Cabinet Secretary Robert Horton told them: "You were indeed deserving of recognition.

"Your standard of commitment, interpersonal skills, and esprit de corps make you outstanding examples of the public service,'' he said.

The monetary award is the difference between the worker's current pay scale and the next highest.

David Anson, Acting Director of Personel Services congratulated awardees for exceeding high expectations and for their willingness to go the extra mile.

Award winners were: Patty-Ann Trott of the Accountant General's Office, Deborah Boyer of Agriculture & Fisheries.

Tina Minors of Airport Operations, Tanya Rae Esdaille of the Auditor's Office, Melody Lightbourne and Heather Brown of Customs.

Marcia Boyce of the Education Department, Patricia Dill of the Health Department, Marita Roberts and Althea Richardson of the Immigration Department.

Janet de Shield of Labour and Home Affairs, Ronald Boys of Marine and Ports, Kimberly Cann of Marine and Ports, Janet Borrows of the Registrar of Companies.

Belvina Burt of the Social Insurance Department, Althea Walker of the Tax Commission, Michael Simmons and Belinda Harris of the Transport Control Department.

QUALITY SERVICE -- Eighteen civil servants were recently recognised for their outstanding service on the job. They were joined by the Bermuda Public Services Association general secretary Edward Ball, (far left), assistant secretary to the Cabinet, Robert Horton (far right), and acting director of Personnel Services, David Anson, (second from right).