The island’s Head of Public Service retired yesterday after a career in government spanning almost four decades.

Derrick Binns began his Public Service career as a psychologist with the Department of Corrections in 1986.

During his ten years in this role, he was also the department’s transition co-ordinator and chairman of the inmates’ programme committee.

He moved to National Drug Control in 1996 and led the department one year later.

Dr Binns then served as permanent secretary for several ministries between 2001 and 2013 but considered his first secretarial appointment at the Ministry of Health and Family Services as his most challenging.

He explained: “It was a very large and complex ministry. While trying to understand its many components and requirements, I was also trying to learn the role of permanent secretary.”

Dr Binns also led the ministries of community and cultural affairs, public works, labour and home affairs, as well as environment, planning and infrastructure as permanent secretary and was appointed Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service in 2013.

In 2018, he became Head of the Public Service, a role he never envisioned.

During his five years leading the service, Dr Binns encouraged young people to work for the government, helped make government services more efficient and fought for more investment in infrastructure.

A government spokeswoman said: “Dr Binns has also been keenly aware of the importance of building strong relationships between government departments and citizens.

“He has encouraged open dialogue between government officials and members of the community, inviting them to provide feedback on how services can be improved.”

While acknowledging that no one in the service was perfect, Dr Binns called the island’s public servants “competent, committed to providing outstanding service and advice, and do so even in the face of negativity.

“It is my wish that they be provided with the resources they need to continue to do an outstanding job.”

He also thanked the Government. “The Public Service has afforded me opportunities to learn and grow in so many areas that could not be attained anywhere else,” he said.

“As he enters retirement, he leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire future generations into public service,” the spokeswoman concluded.

To learn more about Dr Binns’s extensive career, click here.