Alwin Livingstone Hales is a member of that particular group of Jamaicans, who are passionate about what they do, and strive for excellence in all aspects of their lives. His passions for his work and for his country over the years has been reflected in many and varied posts he has held. His achievements and awards he has garnered, all of which have redounded to the benefit of the wider Jamaican Society,
A dedicated public servant for over 35 years, has the distinction of being the longest current serving Permanent Secretary in Jamaica, with a record of 20 years’ service to his credit. He currently serves as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Mining (MTM), which was recently established (March 2016).
Dr Hales served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change (MWLECC) that was established in 2012.
In this role, Dr Hales had the responsibility of overseeing a wide range of Subject, Departments and Agencies, which fall under the Ministry’s mandate, including the Climate change portfolio for which Jamaica has the distinction of being only one of four countries in the world to have a Government body so named.
He has served as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport and Works, a position he held since 1998. In that post, Dr Hales had the responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the Public Sector Modernization Project at the Ministry of Transport and Works.
This was an ambitious project which ultimately led to Government Ministries and Agencies becoming more efficient and accountable.
One significant result of the project was the creation of the National Works Agency, an Executive Agency which is the successor to the former Public Works Department. During that period 2006-2007, he took additional responsibility for Water and Housing in the then Ministry of Housing, Transport, Water and Works (MHTWW).
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Dr Hales was also Permanent Secretary at the then Ministry of Local Government and Works between 1996 and 1998.
The National Irrigation Commission Limited was also a beneficiary of Dr Hales’ professional expertise, and was employed there in various capacities, leaving that organization as Chief Technical Director in 1996.
His professional career also took him to various other agencies, including the Urban Development Corporation, the Scientific Research Council and AGRO 21 Corporation.
Dr Hales’ serious work ethic was honed from a very early age in the humble district of Leicesterfield in Clarendon. He attended the Edwin Allen.
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