DONA XIMAIN MAS BETHRAN

Mrs. Dona Ximain Mas Bethran, was born on 27th September, 1970 in the beautiful town of San Ignacio, Cayo, to wonderful parents; Felipe and Elsa Mas. She is the wife of Michael Bethran and mother to Vanessa, Aaliyah and Michelly.

Dona entered the public service at the tender age of 18. She was recruited as a Second Class Clerk on 7th November, 1988 and held the posts of First Class Clerk (1992), Administrative Assistant (1996), Finance Officer III (1999), Administrative Officer III (2003), Administrative Officer II (2006) and Administrative Officer I (2011). She opted for Early Retirement and will demit office on 1st January 2024 from the Ministry of the Public Service, Constitutional and Political Reform and Religious Affairs where she spent the last fifteen years.

Her Personal File reflects that as a Second Class Clerk, she was appointed to act as an Administrative Assistant by the Public Services Commission. This was outside of the norm since the post of First Class Clerk is the level in between those posts. Dona has always been a hardworking, humble, trustworthy public officer who serves from her heart. She worked with God being at the centre of her life and being led by the Holy Spirit and Whatever work she did, she did it with all her heart, as if though working for the Lord… She knows that she will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward since it is the Lord Christ that she serves.

Dona always performed much higher than the substantive post she held. Today, she is known as the “Resource Officer” because of her vast knowledge of the public service, the rules and regulations, policies and procedures. She has been blessed with good memory and can refer you to regulations, legislations, past cases or policies which will prove useful to you. She keeps a collection of regulations, important circulars, administrative polices and precedence.

Dona served on several work groups: including Records Management Project 1997, Review of the 2001 Public Service Regulations, the 2001 Services Commissions Regulations, Belize Constitution (Public Service) Regulations, 2014, Joint Staff Relations Council, Grievance Committee among many others. Her journey in the public service has been filled with much love and gratification. She has always been there, for serving and past public officer who comes knocking on her door seeking advice or guidance. A vast number of public officers have reached out to Dona for help or simply to talk with. She would always lend a listening ear, give a hug when needed or render her shoulder for comfort – to be cried on. She has always been there for everyone, she receive calls and visits from public officers who were on the verge of resigning or giving up in life but that short “Spirit-led” talk made them change their mind. Dona has always been a prayerful person who allows the Holy Spirit to lead her, especially when it came to her job, it was her Ministry.

Dona has been an exemplary model public servant who cultivates a sense of duty, embraced servant leadership, led by example and demonstrated a commitment of ethical conduct.