THURSDAY, MAY 25, 1978
CHIEF OF ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE RETIRING
******
MR. J.A. WALLACE, PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEER, WILL GO ON PRE-RETIREMENT LEAVE EARLY NEXT MONTH AFTER 13 YEARS' SERVICE WITH THE GOVERNMENT.
MR. WALLACE JOINED THE GOVERNMENT IN 1965 AS A WATERWORKS MECHANICAL ENGINEER IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AFTER HAVING SERVED IN MALAYSIA AS A SUPERINTENDING MECHANICAL ENGINEER.
HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE IN FEBRUARY 1966 AND TWO MONTHS LATER BECAME CHIEF MECHANICAL ENGINEER.
IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, HE WAS PROMOTED TO GOVERNMENT ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEER.
HIS POST WAS RE-TITLED PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENT ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEER IN 1970.
AT A FAREWELL PARTY THIS AFTERNOON, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, MR. DAVID MCDONALD, SAID THAT MR. WALLACE'S RISE TO THE HIGHEST RANK IN HIS DISCIPLINE IN THE GOVERNMENT WAS INDEED RAPID.
+AS HEAD OF THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE, HE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN BUILDING UP AN EFFICIENT ORGANISATION THAT NOW MAKES A VITAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF GOVERNMENT INSTALLATIONS, HE SAID.
DURING HIS TENURE, MR. MCDONALD ADDED, THE PERSONNEL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL OFFICE HAD INCREASED BY MORE THAN 100 PER CENT FROM 2,425 TO 5,155 POSTS.
IN RECOGNITION OF HIS EFFORTS, THE QUEEN AWARDED HIM THE M.B.E. EARLY THIS YEAR.
AT TODAY'S PARTY MR. MCDONALD PRESENTED MR. WALLACE WITH A FAREWELL GIFT, A CHINESE LACQUER CHEST, ON BEHALF OF HIS COLLEAGUES.
/10
Page 10Page 11