Public Service Day travels to Belmopan

The public service of Belize is in the news tonight, and it has nothing to do with salary adjustments or protests. It’s actually that time of the year when the largest employer in Belize takes time out to showcase services offered and accomplishments made. So to celebrate the annual Public Service Information Day, government employees from twenty-two different departments in Belmopan set up their booths for their moment in the spotlight today. Mike Rudon was there and has the story.

Mike Rudon, Reporting

Twenty-two booths from departments including the Police, Geology and Petroleum, ITVET, Archives and Tourism took over this section of the ring Road in Belmopan this morning, as public officers celebrated Public Service Information Day. The organization of this yearly, countrywide event was spearheaded by Nisha Matute, who acts as Liaison Officer in the ministry.

Nisha Matute

Nisha Matute, Liaison Officer, Public Service

“Today we’re celebrating Public Service Information Day; it is an annual event whereby public officers from within the different ministries and departments will come out and showcase their services to the general public. This year, we are more focused on the different services that the different ministries and departments has to showcase to the general public on a whole. It’s an information day, so information is out here in great abundance. If you would like to full out a form to apply for a birth certificate, it can be done out here; if you want to apply for a passport, it can be done out here. So it is more service oriented as just to say information.”

Juan Sam, Instructor, Police Training Academy

“This is the national police training academy booth and we are here to display, make the public aware that we have the requirements to join the police department and what the national police training academy is all about.”

Beverley Tillett

Beverley Tillett, Immigration Officer I

“Every year the public service holds public service week and one of the days is dedicated to public information. We are one of the departments for the public service and we are here basically to share information about what immigration does because most people believe that immigration only issues passport. And we do more than just passports. We also issue visas, student permits, if a visitor comes in and they need extension, we also deal with illegal immigration, deportation and repatriation.”

And it’s not all about providing information on services. The public also gets to access those services, complete with friendly helping hands, and in the case of the Police Department, to sign up.

Juan Sam

Juan Sam

“We are in the process of doing recruitment. The exam will be held on the twenty-second of June next month of this year. So we are here to let the public know we have a list of the requirements in order to join the department and application forms if they wish to join the police department.”

Beverley Tillett

“One of the services we are providing here—since we recently implemented the new passport system—a lot of people are not verse with the news system . so we are here to help them go through the forms and any questions that they have, we are here to answer those questions so they can feel more comfortable when they come to the immigration office.”

And as we saw from the session at the Belize Defense force booth, some of today was just spent hanging with the kids and sharing some fun and information with them.

Ivan Locario

Ivan Locario, Lieutenant, B.D.F.

“We’re just out here for the public service fair. They invited the B.D.F. and we usually do it every year and come out. We bring a display of clothing and equipment; the basic everyday use, things that the guys use in the B.D.F.”

Mike Rudon

“What has been the reception from the people coming out to the booth?”

Ivan Locario

“Most of the kids want to see weapons and ammunition, but we didn’t bring any weapons and ammunition this time.”

And in the end it is all about appreciation…appreciation for the public, and appreciation for the public service.

Nisha Matute

“People and the public on a whole are congratulating the departments for the tremendous work that they have been doing. Sometimes they are behind their computers and the public gets the wrong impression out there and public officers are not recognized. And so a day like today is a day specially set for them to be recognized at the very best. The job of a public officer is not an easy job. It requires a lot of patience, a lot of PR. So I urge them, I urge the public officers on a whole to do their jobs and do it to the best of their ability.”

The event today also featured displays by the Forensic Service and the Belize Met Service. Mike Rudon for News Five.

Public Service Information Day was also celebrated in Corozal today.