FORMER CLERK OF PARLIAMENT IS NEW OMBUDSMAN
Governor General, Dame Cecile La Grenade, on Thursday, August 6th , 2015 issued Raphael Donald with Instruments of Appointment making him Grenada’s second Ombudsman. He took the Oath of appointment on Thursday 20th, August,2015.
Mr. Donald, a 39 year veteran of the Grenada Public Service, retired in July 2014 as Clerk of Parliament and has acted as Ombudsman up to July 10, 2015.
Describing himself as a student of Management, with a particular affinity for Change Management and staff motivation, the new Ombudsman says he hopes to maximize the resources allocated to his office to energetically solve complaints lodged by aggrieved persons.
He was effusive in praise for the work done by Grenada’s first Ombudsman, Mr. Argar A. Alexander, in singlehandly setting up the Office of the Ombudsman, establishing high operational standards and earning for himself and the local office the respect and admiration of regional and international colleagues.
Mr. Donald’s tenure in the Public Service includes 23 years in the Customs Division, twelve of which was as Deputy Comptroller and stints as a Primary School Teacher and a Senior Information Officer.
Some of his background qualification and training relate to:-
- Public relations at the International Training Institute in Australia.
- Numerous programmes at both the foundation and management levels in Customs Practices and Procedures.
- Change Management by UK, US and Canadian Customs.
- Parliamentary Practices and Procedures.
- Delivering training programmes for Customs and the Caribbean Tourism Organisation.
The new Ombudsman is particularly proud to have been part of that initial batch of students who, sort of, acted as guinea pigs, for the outreach programmes of the University of the West Indies between 1985 and 1987 – UWIDITE – (UWI Distant Teaching Experiment) which has now evolved into a full-fledged suite of academic offerings by the Regional University where students can remain at home and pursue degree qualifications.
On a personal side, Mr. Donald describes himself as an amateur humourist, family man and gardener who maintains a deep passion for all things agriculture and horticulture; he once served as vice president of the Orchid Circle of Grenada.
Mr. Donald resides in Calivigny, St. George with his wife of 33½ years who both get their hands dirty around the house; they are the proud parents of two grown children, male and female, now residing abroad.