CNMI govt recognizes its top employees

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres will continue his visits to government agencies today as part of the ongoing effort to recognize the CNMI government’s hardworking and longest-serving civil servants.

The celebration started last Thursday with Torres and Lt. Gov. Victor B. Hocog signing the proclamation declaring the 2017 Public Service Recognition Week celebration at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center.

Last week’s proclamation is a weeklong recognition of honoring hardworking government employees.

“I’ll be going to every department and spending time with the employees. I look forward to acknowledging them,” Torres said. “Hopefully I would get the chance to meet the nominees of each department to personally acknowledge their hard work.”

Torres will lead the government in honoring the overall government employee of the year during the Labor Day weekend in September.

It is always a rewarding feeling for any employee to be recognized for their hard work, he said. “It has always been tough when everybody needs to be recognized. I wish we could give more awards to all government employees. Still, thank you to all of your hard work.”

Torres first visited the Department of Public Safety while also honoring the employees and staff of their respective offices, before ending the day at the Legislative Bureau. On Saturday, it was the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, and Department of Corrections’ turn.

DPS gave out 49 service awards while more than 50 other employees in other departments or divisions—like CNMI Homeland Security and the Legislature—were also recognized on Thursday. More awards and recognition will be given to 18 other government agencies until Wednesday.

DPS Commissioner Robert Guerrero thanked Torres and Hocog for their support. “The employee of the year is for each division because everybody has done their part and put their share in.”

For the service awards, the Office of Personnel Management chose the recipients, “but they [have served long] enough to earn [the honor]. They were selected among their peers and their peers know what they do in their respective divisions. I trust their judgment and they deserved to be recognized. OPM came out with the criteria and division directors came up with names,” said Guerrero.

Service awards are given to government employees who have served the government for 10, 15, 20, and 25 years. Division heads or supervisors determine the employees of the year awardees.