Clerk to the Houses of Parliament, Valrie Curtis is to retire on Saturday, April 6 after nearly 30 years of serving in the nation’s highest court.
In a letter addressed to all parliamentarians, Curtis, who has served for 28 years and six months, said she has had a “plethora of experiences during this time and the best of them will remain with me forever as treasured memories outweighing those easily forgotten”.
Curtis said she is satisfied that she has fulfilled her purpose at the Parliament.
A short statement from the Houses of Parliament announcing the clerk’s pending retirement said:
“We wish to express our gratitude to Ms Valrie Curtis, Clerk to the Houses of Parliament, for her long and dedicated service. Ms Valrie Curtis will proceed on retirement … having reached the age of retirement in April 2021, and having been granted an extension for an additional two years to expire upon reaching the age of 67 years”.
Curtis, who began her parliamentary career in 1995, previously served as deputy to former clerk Heather Cooke. She was appointed clerk in July 2021.
Before that, she was appointed deputy clerk in 2006 and served as acting clerk from October 2020 when Cooke took leave of absence.
The distinguished public servant was recognised for her service when she was conferred with national honours twice. In 2014, she received the Badge of Honour for Meritorious Service, and in 2020 was conferred with the Order of Distinction (Commander Class) for her service to the Houses of Parliament.
The announcement of her retirement comes just over a week after she was publicly upbraided by House Speaker Juliet Holness after being accused of failing to comply with the ruling of the Speaker on the tabling of reports from the Auditor General’s Department.
