Guernsey's Head of the Public Service to step down in 2025

Guernsey's Head of the Public Service has announced he intends to step down before the island's General Election next year. Mark de Garis has spent the last 40 years working in Guernsey's civil service and says he wanted to give plenty of advance notice, so a successor can be put in place ahead of the election. Speaking about his decision, he said: 'It has been the privilege of my career to serve as the Head of the Public Service and I am very grateful to all of my colleagues who have supported me in this challenging but hugely rewarding role. 'When I first joined the civil service in the 1980s, I couldn't have imagined the opportunities that this organisation would provide me and I am so proud of the public sector and the dedication that I see each and every day.'He added: 'When I accepted the role of Head of the Public Service I was clear that my intention was to support the current political body during an immensely challenging time but that I was unable to commit to the next political term.'With the election now less than one year away I was keen to provide early notice that I would be stepping down in 2025 in order that my successor is in post and I am able to provide a detailed and structured handover to ensure they are in the best possible position to support the incoming Assembly.'

Dep Lyndon Trott, President of the Policy and Resources Committee, said: 'I want to take this opportunity to thank Mark for his exemplary commitment to the public service over hid distinguished career. 'By the very nature of the public service, much of his work has, by necessity, taken place behind the scenes but he has been integral to many of the most important steps taken by government over the last decade. 'I speak on behalf of the whole committee, and I'm sure wider colleagues, when I say how much we have valued Mark's support and advice and we wish ghim the very best for his retirement'.Dep Trott added: 'While Mark's departure will be a significant loss to the organisation, we will shortly be launching a recruitment campaign for his successor.'We hope to make an appointment during the autumn in order to provide a successful transition early in 2025.'

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