16th December 2022
I learned today with great sadness of the passing of a career public servant par excellence, Mrs. Ruth Millar, former Financial Secretary of The Bahamas who served in that capacity from 1994 to 2008.
She was 88 years old.
This trained and certified nurse came into her own professionally in the public service during the leadership of Sir Lynden Pindling and Arthur D. Hanna, making the successful transition from healthcare to public financial administration.
Many remember Mrs. Millar as the sister of former parliamentarian and Cabinet Minister in the Pindling government, Alfred Maycock.
Mrs. Millar served as the Administrator of the Princess Margaret Hospital and the Director of the Bahamas Mortgage Corporation before her tenure as the country’s Financial Secretary. In her role as Financial Secretary, the government’s chief financial officer, Mrs. Millar is widely remembered and well respected for steering the government and country through a number of financial crises, brought on mainly by existential threats and shocks such as global recessions and natural disasters.
Mrs. Millar was the quintessential public administrator and her body of work has secured for her, an iconic status within the public service.
Further, she is credited with playing a significant role in the training and professional development of a number of Financial Secretaries who succeeded her.
She remained a reliable and available reservoir of knowledge that has benefitted government administrations well after her retirement.
I thank her for her public service and invaluable contributions to our country’s national development.
On behalf of the government and people of The Bahamas, I extend heartfelt condolences to the family of Ruth Millar on the sad occasion of her passing.
May she rest in peace.
End.
