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Florence Magasha

Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Florence Mugasha

Improving Public Service Delivery and Accountability

22 June 2006

Commonwealth Secretariat organises five-day 'Good Governance and Effective Public Service Delivery' workshop with Government of Swaziland.

Public service delivery must be more efficient and effective, as well as responsive to the needs of the poor. Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Florence Mugasha said this at the opening of a 'Good Governance and Effective Public Service Delivery' workshop in Mbabane, Swaziland, on 19 June 2006. The five-day workshop, attended by 30 Swaziland Government ministers and permanent secretaries, is being organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Government of Swaziland.

The Deputy Secretary-General stated: "The challenge of service is to ensure that we remain accountable to the people, including the poorest and most vulnerable. Accountability is a key ingredient of good governance in that it ensures that governments are answerable to their people for the way they run the country. This is the true test of public service delivery."

Mrs Mugasha commended the Government of Swaziland for its decentralisation policy which, she said, would help to improve the delivery of services to the poor. She stressed the important relationship between political and administrative leaders in managing government business.

"While political leaders set the policy agenda, technocrats ensure that the agenda is effectively implemented for the benefit of the nation," said Mrs Mugasha. "I hope that this workshop will afford cabinet ministers and permanent secretaries an opportunity to benchmark experiences with those of other countries in the Commonwealth and to develop strategies for working together so as to lead the transformation process of Swaziland."

The workshop will also focus on the development priorities of Swaziland and the role of the country's constitution in deepening democracy and good governance through transparency, accountability and the rule of law. Issues such as public sector reform and budgeting, public resource management and anti-corruption will be examined, and areas in need of capacity-building identified.

Mrs Mugasha noted that a number of issues have to be addressed to enhance the governance capacity of many African states.

"These include strengthening the capacity of the parliaments to effectively deliver on their mandates, improving the performance of the judiciary and ensuring its independence from political interference. Improving public sector management, raising the standard of public service delivery, as well as effective engagement of the private sector, civil society and citizens in the governance process are also critical."

CNIS - Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 290, 21 June 2006

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