Mrs Ingrid Corr, head of the German consulate in Banjul, has retired after serving for almost 30 years in The Gambia.

Mrs Corr, 65, married to a Gambian, first came to The Gambia in 1975. She was later assigned Consul of the German Ambassador’s office in Banjul in 1978 and had been serving in that capacity till her retirement last week.

Delivering a speech at a reception on Mrs Corr’s retirement held at the Coconut Residence on Friday 1 December, the German Ambassador to The Gambia, based in Dakar, Senegal, H.E. Doretta Loschelder, gave a resounding eulogy of Mrs Corr which took account of her working relationship and consular service in The Gambia.

She said Mrs Corr has a wealth of experience and knowledge about The Gambia that they have benefited from over the years, adding that they could always count on her advice even though she has retired.

“Mrs Corr is, indeed, what we call resource person - and I would add with a capital R,” she remarked. Consular work means “generally also being confronted with all kind of human personal sad histories and even tragedies”, Ambassador Loschelder said, noting that Mrs Corr dealt with all these with much empathy.

“Experience of life, always very much engaged and with a good portion of practical sense and wisdom, but never bureaucratic. A Gambian or a German coming to the office was just a consular or administrative case for her,” she said.

She further remarked: “But what made Mrs Corr really exceptional is her deep knowledge and understanding of The Gambia in all its aspects – political, social, cultural and the exceptional network Mrs Corr disposes of.”

In her retirement speech, Mrs Corr thanked the Government of The Gambia for the cordial and fruitful relations that have existed between the two countries and for the nearly 30 years of cooperation The German consulate in Banjul under her tenure has enjoyed since her appointment as consul by her country’s Foreign office.

“I can look back to nearly 30 years in the service and even longer to my stay in The Gambia. Gambians welcomed me and I owe them a big ‘Thank you’, because for now The Gambia is my home,” Mrs Corr pronounced.

According to her, she intends to stay in The Gambia the rest of her life.

Mrs Corr has been replaced by Mrs Anita Martin as head of the German consulate in Banjul.

Speaking to journalists at the reception, she said: “I have worked for two years with Mrs Corr. She is the best teacher I could have. I have learnt a lot from her. For real I am more than sad about her leaving.”