Forum to tackle civil service issues
PERMANENT secretaries have set up a forum to address issues within the civil service that hinder work within the government machinery.
In an interview with this newspaper, the Ministry of Civil Service permanent secretary Parmesh Chand explained how the forum is working on cutting red tape, reducing taxpayer funds wastages and addressing health challenges such as HIV and AIDS.
“There’s a permanent secretary forum where the permanent secretaries work under the chairmanship of the permanent secretary for Public Service or Civil Service convenes a forum every month,” Mr Chand said.
“In the forum we discuss the issues which can facilitate the work of permanent secretaries and improve on efficiencies, productivity, address performance issues.
“We meet and discuss topical issues that address a PS’ ability to perform better.
“And we decided to form four sub-committees and the 20 or so PS have been divided into these four committees.
“One sub-committee focuses on Reducing Red Tape, the second is on Removing Wastage, the third one is on Future of Work and the fourth committee is on HIV/AIDS and substance abuse.
“Each of the sub-committee is chaired by the relevant PS. For example, the wastage sub-committee, it is important that the Finance Ministry is involved.
“The Reducing of Red tape is chaired by the PS for Women and the Future of Work subcommittee is chaired by Shahin Ali and the HIV/AIDS is chaired by Dr Jemesa Tudravu, PS Health.
“They are supposed to meet amongst themselves in their smaller groups and then report to the rest of the committees.”
“For the Reducing of Red Tape subcommittee, we decided to look at our own processes and see what three processes we can simplify so that it is easier for service delivery.
“For example, the Ministry of Civil Service some have complained that it takes too long to do recruitment of people and so we have looked at a few processes and decided to reduce the advertising period to go as low as Ɲve days.
“And we can fast track appointment processes other ways such as sharing of pools meaning once an interview process is done there was a few people interviewed and those who were not successful in getting the job are kept in a pool.
“Somebody else in another ministry can use them without advertising the post or they can advertise the post and go through the selection process, but they can also use these people who were second and third candidates.
“So, we are encouraging the greater use of this pool to Ɲll vacancies rather than going through advertising and all of that.
“Each ministry has a pool and keeps it in a database and people can share that.”
Mr Chand said another issue was the issuing of different forms of identiƝcation to Ɲll out government forms.
“There was a big issue with the General Practitioners scheme under the PPP (public–private partnership) and to an extent it got stopped and the Ministry of Finance was saying they needed this and that.
“In a single form, there were three places where the applicant had to give certiƝed IDs and the form was Ɲve pages long.
“Why do you have to do this? Why do they have to get their identity certiƝed three times?
“At the same time, why there are multiple IDs required for accessing government services. Why do you need to give your passport? Your TIN? Your birth certiƝcate and your FNPF?
“So, we talked about this and now there is a push to have a national ID.
“So, there is good work coming out of the sub-committees.”
Mr Chand said the committee was formed to transform the civil service into an ideal employer.
“What can we do to improve work conditions for employees?
“Future of Work is about trying to improve work conditions for future employees.
“It is largely about trying to create an environment is seen as an employer of choice. Trying to put together incentives, better ƞexible hours, work-from-home opportunities, making it simpler for people to join the workforce and giving the opportunity for internal promotions.
So, there were questionnaires sent out to civil servants by the Future of Work committee and it was largely to gather data.
“It is part of our efforts to make civil service more meaningful and bring about changes by working from within and see what we can do to improve service delivery.”
Civil Service Day will continue more aligned to the UN Civil Service Day framework. It will focus less on fanfare but more on recognising the contributions of civil servants and at the same time demonstrating to the public what to expect out of the civil service
– Parmesh Chand
He said Civil Service celebrations would now be an annual event.
“Civil Service Day will continue more aligned to the UN Civil Service Day framework.
“It will focus less on fanfare but more on recognising the contributions of civil servants and at the same time demonstrating to the public what to expect out of the civil service.”