Public officers recognised for outstanding service
Work in health, transport, climate action and emergency response recognised at Verdala Palace
Public officers who distinguished themselves through their work were recognised during an awards ceremony held at Verdala Palace under the patronage of President Myriam Spiteri Debono.
Addressing those present, the president praised public officers for their service to the public and for their ongoing efforts to strengthen and modernise the public service so that it better responds to today’s realities.
She said public officers were expected to uphold technical competence, impartiality, loyalty to the Constitution and respect for democratic principles. The public service, she added, must remain rooted in ethics, transparency and accountability, while ensuring that citizens are treated with dignity and respect.
Principal Permanent Secretary Tony Sultana said the awards were an occasion to recognise officials who had gone beyond what was expected of them.
“A career in the public service involves sacrifices, but the results come, and ultimately we are improving people’s lives,” he said.
Sultana acknowledged that, while the public service’s work was increasingly being recognised, it still faced criticism that was not always constructive.
“We should not respond to this kind of criticism with words, but with more work and more success,” he said.
Among the initiatives recognised were projects and teams in healthcare, transport, digital transformation, climate action, social welfare, sport and emergency response.
The Healthcare Funding Department, better known as the Entitlement Unit, was given the Quality Award, while other public entities, including the Public Service Commission, the Examinations Department, the Community Policing team, EUPA and Residency Malta Agency, received the Quality Label.
Transport Malta won the Best Practice in Good Governance Award following a positive assessment by the National Audit Office related to public service obligations in inter-island transport and a motorcycle scrappage scheme.
A team responsible for rolling out Microsoft Co-Pilot across public officers’ devices won the Best Digital Solution award. The project involved an investment of around €4 million and more than 5,000 licences distributed across the public administration.
The Climate Impact Award went to the Shore-to-Ship project, a collaboration between Transport Malta and Infrastructure Malta, which allows cruise liners berthed in Grand Harbour to connect to the electricity grid and switch off their engines, reducing emissions and air pollution by around 90%.
Other winning projects included a bottle collection service for elderly people and people with disabilities, the STOP the Violence programme, Gozo’s new swimming pool complex, and the Malta School Games.
A Role Model Award was presented to Angele Cushieri and Rennie Zerafa for their long-standing work with Puttinu Cares, while an Outstanding Effort Award went to Enemalta’s distribution team for its work maintaining the electricity network.
The president also gave special recognition to government departments and entities that showed dedication and professionalism during and after Storm Harry in January.