The Government of Bermuda is pleased to announce that Mrs. Ziafra Wade-Davis from the Accountant General’s Department has been selected as the June recipient of the Public Service Excellence Award (PSEA).

In her role as Bank Reconciliations Administrator, Ziafra (pictured with Premier David Burt), has been recognised for her exceptional commitment to innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement in public service.

In preparation for the upcoming Consolidated Fund audit, Ziafra volunteered to complete nearly half of the year-end reconciliations for the Accountant General’s cash portfolio, an area outside of her formal training. Despite the complexity of the work, she delivered results two months ahead of schedule, consistently demonstrating initiative, diligence, and integrity. Her proactive efforts not only received glowing feedback from client departments but also delivered valuable insights and solutions aligned with international best practices, Financial Instructions, and relevant legislation. 

Ziafra’s performance goes beyond routine expectations. During a recent training exercise, she dramatically improved the reconciliation process for the Traffic Control Department (TCD). By taking a big-picture view and applying advanced Excel techniques, she streamlined a task that once took over four weeks into one that now takes under an hour. This accomplishment reflects her ability to think critically, solve problems efficiently, and lead innovation within her unit.

Her actions clearly align with the mission of the Government’s Public Service Strategic Plan to “build a more capable public service that is accountable, citizen-focused and prepared for the future.”

Ziafra exemplifies our core values of accountability, integrity, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Premier David Burt offered his congratulations, “Ziafra’s efforts to streamline processes have helped save time and reduce costs to taxpayers. I enjoyed speaking with her and learning more about the impact of her work. These are the kinds of skills we want to see shared across the Public Service to improve efficiency. She has demonstrated a level of leadership in her role as Bank Reconciliations Administrator that makes her truly deserving of this award.” 

Head of the Public Service, Cherie Whitter, added, “Ziafra’s initiative and problem-solving mindset highlight the talent within our public service. As public officers, we must be proactive, innovative, and focused on preparing for the future. She is a great example of what it means to go above and beyond.”

The PSEA is a programme that recognises a group or individual within the Public Service who has made significant achievements in service delivery in the last 60 days.