ISLANDERS BID ADIEU TO TONY AND OLIVE GREEN

 

By J. Brock (SARTMA)

 

Tony, Olive and one of their children

 

A farewell reception was held at the Saints Club in Georgetown Ascension Island for Tony, Olive and Sinead Green at 8:00 pm on Friday, 16 April 2004.  The Island’s Administrator, His Honour Mr. Andrew Kettlewell hosted the hour-long reception in order to bid adieu to the Green family and to say thank-you for their essential contribution to the community as well as the Government of the Island.

 

In a farewell speech, Mr. Kettlewell praised Tony’s keen management skills, especially during the run-up to democracy.  Besides being the first St. Helenian to head Ascension Island Services and its successor, the Ascension Island Works & Services Agency, Mr. Green achieved ISO. 9000 accreditation status for the Agency – a noteworthy achievement.  Surely, with that talent and skill, there is no doubt that Mr. Green will be back on Ascension in one capacity or another.

 

It was the re-uniting of the Ascension Islands Works and Services Agency with the Ascension Island Government that lost Tony his job.  “The object was to make a single team out of something that was split apart a few years ago.  Again, this is something that Tony is very familiar with.”  When the Agency had split away from Government, the exercise had not worked as planned and the two entities merged on the 1^st of April this year.

 

“Thanks for all you have done for the Island,” concluded Mr. Kettlewell.  He then asked everyone to raise their glasses and toast Mr. Green and his family.  He then presented a gift to Mr. Green, who then had a few words to say.

 

He began by saying it was a pleasure to see so many of the Island Community at the reception and he hoped they would enjoy themselves. He clarified that he had been made redundant.  “I will take that in my stride,” he continued.  In the 15 years that he had been on Ascension Island, Tony had seen many changes and he wished to thank everyone for the support and assistance they had given him over the years.  “Thank you so much,” he said to the workforce, you have made Ascension what it is today.”

 

Mr. Green left for St. Helena with his family on the RMS last Wednesday.