Fidelia Ismael of the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports was crowned the top performer in the public service at the second annual Top Performer Awards.
Saturday’s ceremony, hosted by the Ministry of the Public Service, celebrated excellence across departments and drew senior officials, including Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, who presented the overall award.
Minister for the Public Service, Dr Virginia Albert-Poyotte, praised Ismael’s achievement and acknowledged the more than 22 officers recognised by their respective ministries.
At a recent press briefing, Albert-Poyotte outlined the selection process: “Each department [and] ministry is asked to nominate somebody as their top performer, and all these persons receive an award… But among these persons, we had to select what we call the super top performer, and we established an independent committee that examines all the applicants and looks at the criteria set to determine who should be the top performer.”
The Minister stressed the importance of valuing employees, noting that recognition is often more meaningful than material benefits. “There was a survey that was done some years ago among workers, and they asked them, what… would they want most in the field of work? Interestingly, what came out as the most important thing that employees wanted was recognition.”
She tied the ceremony to broader national progress, crediting public officers for their role in sustaining economic growth. “For three consecutive years we have seen economic growth, but if the public officers do not do their work, then we will not register economic growth.”
Albert-Poyotte further urged leaders within the service to continue fostering a culture of appreciation. “We want heads of department, permanent secretaries, deputy permanent secretaries and ministers to constantly encourage their workers and show appreciation for the work that they do in order to serve the Saint Lucian public.”
