CAPAM Awards For Innovation In Public Administration
4 November 2004
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| Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM). |
The prizes, for innovation in public administration and management, were bestowed at the sixth CAPAM Innovation Awards in Singapore on 27 October 2004. The awards are offered every two years. The theme for the 2004 entries was 'Governance'. The gold awards went to Australia and India; silver to South Africa and India; and bronze to Malaysia and the UK.
Messaging Architecture for the Retrieval of Versatile Information and News (MARVIN) -- a computer software package developed in Australia's Northern Territory in partnership with industry and community -- won a gold award. MARVIN was created for the Department of Health and Community Services to help tackle substance abuse. This educational tool features animated three-dimensional characters showing ways to address this problem.
The Gujarat Emergency Earthquake Reconstruction Project in India also won gold. Launched by the Government of Gujarat after the 2001 earthquake, the programme focuses on mitigation of and preparedness for disaster. The project includes reconstruction, transparency and equity procedures by government and the community.
'100 Spots', a South African initiative to clean up illegal dumping of waste, clinched a silver award. The project is a joint effort by Johannesburg's waste management company, Pikitup, the Johannesburg Metro Police Department, City Power, City Parks, Joburg Water and the Johannesburg Roads Agency. It involves the community in targeting more than 4,000 illegal dumpsites in Soweto.
'eSeva', an electronic governance initiative of the Andhra Pradesh Government, India, also received silver. The project uses information technology to provide access to various public services for people in rural areas. A large number of 'eSeva' centres -- managed by women self-help groups -- have been established to replace traditional forms of governance with a modern service delivery system.
Malaysia received a bronze for 'MyKad', the first government dual interface smartcard. It replaces the national identification card and driver's licence, and stores passport information for quick exit and re-entry at immigration checkpoints. The card also contains confidential health information, in case of medical emergencies; can be used for toll payment on highways; for parking and public transport payments; and for automatic teller machine transactions.
The UK got a bronze for the Public Sector Benchmarking Service, developed by the Cabinet Office and HM Customs and Excise. The service supports public sector organisations undertaking benchmarking projects; shares knowledge and good practices in support of government reform; provides practical information on benchmarking; and signposts sources of good practice identified by other quality and improvement initiatives.
CNIS - the Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 208 3 November 2004
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