Government's changes to the structure of the Civil Service are developing quickly as Premier Jennifer Smith announced new postings in the hierarchy yesterday.

Held at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo the quarterly meeting of Ministers and senior civil servants was Government's chance to thank the people who have been modernising its structure.

"Any organisation must be dynamic to survive and have the ability to change with the times,'' Ms Smith told several dozen cabinet secretaries, permanent secretaries, and heads of departments.

"As we recently noted in the Throne Speech your longer working hours have not gone unnoticed by a grateful public or indeed a grateful Government who have observed the lights burning in Government offices long after the end of the normal workday.'' Premier Smith explained: "Today is special, we have celebrated two years as Government and have been holding these meetings for just over one year.

"Thus I thought it opportune to invite the media to this meeting to allow Bermuda to see how we do business and to share a major plank of the Civil Service Review.'' The Review -- which remains unpublished -- called for the establishment of a Central Policy Unit and a re-writing of the rules by which white collar workers operate, the General Orders.

"It is the responsibility of the Civil Service Executive to implement the recommendations contained in the Civil Service Review, which were accepted by Cabinet,'' Premier Smith explained.

"The driving force behind some of the initiatives contained in the Review, which are now surfacing, is the former Steering Committee which I appointed in March of this year,'' she added.

"The Steering Committee has now been absorbed into the Civil Service Executive and I acknowledge those four pioneers, Judith Hall-Bean, John Drinkwater, Herman Tucker, and Stanley Oliver,'' Premier Smith concluded.

A new feature of the Civil Service is that the more senior officers are being shifted around ministries to ensure a more smoothly functioning Government.

Premier Smith called this a "significant and transparent change'' which will span two years and will groom officers to "ensure there is coverage for all senior posts, and cross training throughout the Service''.

Much of the meeting was taken up with Premier Smith announcing several of these changes in the senior ranks, particularly the appointment of Warren Jones to become the first Assistant Cabinet Secretary for Policy.

Other changes include the appointment of Kenneth Joaquin as Assistant Accountant General in the Ministry of Finance and Office of the Accountant General.

Colin Blades will move from his post as acting Permanent Secretary for Health to become an acting Assistant Cabinet Secretary/Deputy Head of the Civil Service for the next six months to support the Head of the Civil Service, Stanley Oliver.

Former head of Management and Personnel Services, Judith Hall Bean will replace Mr. Blades at Health.

While Mr. Oliver recently combined the two departments, there will be two acting directors, Ianthia Wade and Lynn Osborne beginning in January.

Premier Smith thanked Ms Wade for her "significant'' impact on Transport Control Department staff and operations during several months as the acting Director.

Within the Works and Engineering Ministry the succession plan to replace Mr.

Oliver has seen Chief Engineer Russell Wade and Chief Architect Richard James have stints as Permanent Secretary.

For the next four months Mr. James will be acting Assistant Cabinet Secretary to the Cabinet (Committees) and Mr. Wade will take over W&E for that time and then the men will alternate positions.

Mr. James replaces Robert Horton who has become the PS for Labour and Home Affairs.