The Attorney-General’s Chambers’ drafting section administration team have received the public service excellence award, with special recognition for ensuring that Budget legislation was prepared in “a very short timeframe”.

David Burt, the Premier, and the head of the public service, Derrick Binns, made the award last week to administrative professionals and “unsung heroes” Shanell Vaughn, Alicia Simmons, Dorianne Hurdle and Sonya Simons.

The PSEA is a programme that aims to encourage outstanding achievement and recognise public officers who are demonstrating admirable service delivery. Each month an individual or team is selected for their outstanding public service accomplished in the past 60 days.

A Government statement said the team’s tasks include producing and editing draft legislation, publishing statutory instruments on the Official Gazette, consolidating Bermuda’s legislation on the website www.Bermudalaws.bm, responding to queries from the public, and keeping detailed lists of matters relating to legislation for cross-checking.

It added: “The AG’s drafting team recently were integral to meeting the April 1, 2022 deadline to enact this year’s Budget legislation, which was required to be produced in a very short timeframe.

“The officers were called on to support the Chief Parliamentary Counsel and other drafters by editing, preparing Bills and statutory instruments for the Legislature, liaising with Cabinet Office, the Clerk to the House of Assembly and Government House to secure the Assent process, and publishing the necessary legislation within deadline.”

The statement noted that in 2020 there were 53 Acts and 154 Statutory Instruments; in 2021 there were 51 Acts and 179 Instruments; and so far in 2022 there have been 14 Acts and 42 instruments.

“Each team member has played a role in relation to every one of these pieces of legislation,” it added.

Mr Burt, who is also finance minister, added: “It is truly a significant achievement for a small jurisdiction like Bermuda to have a current and accurate legislative database that can be relied on by Public Officers, lawyers, judiciary, parliamentarians and members of the public both local and overseas.

“Thank you all for this monumental accomplishment and your continued dedication and service to our people.”

Dr Binns added: “We are beyond grateful for the immense support you have provided to the Attorney General's Chambers and for handling a very intense workload with grace, care, and focused attention.”