Civil servants bid farewell to old boss

| 02/02/2012

Premier & Donovan Ebanks Toast 0112 (273x300).jpg(CNS): After more than 36 years the civil service, Cayman’s first deputy governor retired this week. As the public sector and government welcomed Franz Manderson and several new senior officers to the new government administration team, Donovan Ebanks was given a fond farewell at Government House Wednesday. “Not bad for a North Side boy who didn’t wear shoes to school until I was 12, and whose family didn’t have electricity until I was in university,” Ebanks told the gathering as they spoke about his long career in public service. Senior officers, colleagues, relatives and friends celebrated his career  and spoke of the many milestones he had reached as well as the challenges he overcame – from budgets to hurricanes.

 “It’s not about what I accomplished, it’s all about the shared effort,” he said of a career that spanned four decades

After spending 19 years with the Public Works Department, Ebanks became a leading civil servant. As deputy chief secretary he oversaw Cayman’s protective services, including heading the National Hurricane Committee, and he finished his career as the most senior civil servant in the country.

As the son of a politician (the late MLA Craddock Ebanks), he understood the two sides of the coin, he said. Renowned for being frugal, Ebanks said he felt it was appropriate "to spend government’s money as if it was my own".

Governor Duncan Taylor wished him a happy retirement and said he had fulfilled his role very well. Meanwhile, the premier said there had been tremendous changes since Ebanks’ career began in 1975.

“There is a lot we have done right, and the best homage to Donnie would be to maintain such high standards,” McKeeva Bush added.

Ebanks’ parting advice to the civil service was to put country before self and work hard, then they would eventually be rewarded.

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  1. Peter Milburn says:

    Donnie a job well done and I sincerely hope you will enjoy those retirement years.I am sure that Franz might still contact you for "Fatherly"advice now and then.Enjoy.

  2. Anon says:

    Why are you people so evil? Mr. Donny is a very decent and respectable man that served his country well. Why you guys just cannot live and love and stop the bitching? How can one really bitch about Donny? Do not forget that jealousy causes CANCER!

  3. Anonymous says:

    Renowned for being frugal, Ebanks said he felt it was appropriate “to spend government’s money as if it was my own”.

    Sounds just like a born politician to me…. Spend other peoples money like it was your own.

    • Anonymous says:

      Dummy, do you know what the word "frugal" means??? That statement means the opposite of what you're implying. Geez!

      FRUGAL:

       

      economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving orsparing; not wasteful: What your office needs is a frugalmanager who can save you money without resorting to painfulcutbacks.  thrifty, chary, provident, careful,prudent, penny-wise, scrimping; miserly, Scotch, penny-pinching. wasteful, extravagant, spendthrift,prodigal, profligate.

      entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager;scanty: a frugal meal. scant, slim, sparing,skimpy. luxurious, lavish, profuse.

       

    • Anonymous says:

      @ the person who wrote "spend the government's money as if it was my own". For those who don't know Mr. Donnie, I can say that it is a very true and reasonable statement. For a man who has been head of Civil Service and Deputy Chief Secretary for a number of years, then promoted to Deputy Governor and drove a green chevy truck until its dying day. When acting Governor and has to attend ceremonies, rather drive his own vehicle that be escorted in a new cadillac or new model chevy tahoe. Who built his own house which has been kept simple, no barrier wall, guard house, fabulous green lawn or expensive palm trees. Who travels a maximum of maybe 5-7 times a year with cardboard boxes instead expensive suitcases and flies economy instead of business class.

      I would say Mr. Donnie handles his money pretty damn well!!! And if he has done like he said and as you reposted "spend government's money as if it was his own" he did a pretty good job with handle government's money as well.

      As said repeatedly by Mr. Franz the night of the retirement party, "Mr. Donnie was very tight with the money".

      Im sure there are many others who deserve your criticisminstead of Mr. Donnie.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Just vwish it was the guy in the suit and tie in the picture we were saying good bye to.

  5. dogsbody says:

    The heading is misleading. 99% of civil servants were not invited to the party

    • Anonymous says:

      And then you would hear, "gowment spends big bucks on good bye party!" Bwoy, you can't please everybody!

  6. Anonymous says:

     

    Many respect to you sir. Even as an expatriate working in the civil service I have never felt ostracize working with you.  Your frankness and insight has also guided me in the execution of my duties and allow me to have an objective and optimistic view on all issues.  As they would say in my country “Nuff respect and blessings…Jah Guide”

  7. Anonymous says:

    Good Bye! One less exorbitant payroll.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Mr. Ebanks is a great man and a wonderful servant to his Country. Enjoy retirement and I hope our current leaders may follow your example of striving to make these Islands the best that they can be for all who ever step ashore.

  9. Anonymous says:

    time for somebody else to fill themselves at the trough…..