Officials Learn Best Practice In Public Service Reform

"the combined effects of globalisation...are placing increased pressures on public services "

Officials dealing with public service reform in 21 Commonwealth countries are meeting in Singapore for a seminar on 'Managing Change -- Towards Public Sector Excellence'.

The programme, from 23 August to 3 September 2004, is conducted by trainers from the Singapore Civil Service College. The 21 participants, including 13 women, are required to draft an action plan for their respective countries at the end of the seminar.

The objectives of the seminar are to educate participants on Commonwealth best practices in the management of public service change and performance; to help them develop individual action plans for change in their respective countries; and to facilitate organisational change through successful frameworks and strategies. Participants are also informed about change processes in the Singapore Public Service and in other Commonwealth countries. 

Professor Victor Ayeni, Director of the Governance and Institutional Development Division (GIDD) of the Commonwealth Secretariat, said: "We recognise that the combined effects of globalisation, social and political changes as well as technological developments are placing increased pressures on public services to innovate. There is an urgent need for leaders and managers in public service to become more strategic in their approach as they manage the structural changes necessary for improved performance and delivery of services to an increasingly demanding public."  

Participants at the forum include permanent secretaries, heads of department and senior officers from government departments and institutions involved in public service reform and change management programmes. 

Female candidates were encouraged to participate in keeping with the 1995 Commonwealth Plan of Action for Gender and Development, which aimed to strengthen women's roles in decision-making within governments.

The seminar is sponsored by the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation through GIDD, and the Singapore Co-operation Programme administered by Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

CNIS - the Commonwealth News and Information Service  Issue 199    1 September 2004