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Singapores Civil Service Slide 2 A Tenuous Beginning: Independence in 1965 Slide 3 The STRATEGY - Link up with the Developed World - Have them do their manufacturing in Singapore - Transform Singapore from a 3 rd World to a 1 st World in a 3 rd World Oasis (then) Slide 4 Numerous accolades Quality of Institutions: WEF ranked Singapore tops (2008) Public housing: UN Public Service Award Health system: Ranked 6 th in 2006 by WHO e-Government: 1 st in e-government by Accenture (2007) Public Utilities Board: Stockholm Industry Water Award (2007) Infrastructure: Best infrastructure for cities by Mercer Government spending: Least wasteful Government regulation: Least burdensome Policy-making: Most transparent Fast Forward Today Slide 5 Unique Mental Model Singapores Civil Service quickly developed a unique mental model characterized by: 1) Sense of urgency that galvanized all for our survival was (and still is) at stake 2) Accountability where upon excuses are not accepted with no letting up on continuous fast paced improvements Slide 6 Relentless Strengthening of the Civil Service There was and is a clear realization that the political leadership can only deliver on it promises through their Public Servants. Hence, it is in the interest of the Government as well as the interest of the nation to have a Public Service that continues to be strengthened to perform and deliver services to its people. This has been done RELENTLESSLY Slide 7 At the CORE: The Singapore Administrative Service: Crme de la crme Brain and the heart of the Civil Services. The Division responsible is managed at the Prime Ministers Office. Strong focus that they be aware of 1) social issues 2) have a deep understanding from the experiences of other countries on policy making & its impact (especially the unintended consequences ) and 3) appreciate the challenges faced by corporations, SMEs, etc. For instance, the Head of the Civil Services. Slide 8 Singapore Administrative Service: Crme de la crme Peter Ong Boon Kwee Head of Civil Service Finance & Taxation 1.Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance 2.Chairman of Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore 3.Director of Monetary Authority of Singapore 4.Director at DBS Bank Ltd 5.Director at TIF Ventures Pte Ltd Security 1.Permanent Secretary (National Security and Intelligence Co- ordination) 2.2nd Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Defence National Development 1.Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Trade & Industry (age 38) 2.Director at Singapore Telecommunication s Ltd 3.Singapore Power Ltd Slide 9 PUBLIC SERVICE CIVIL SERVICE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE Public Service 110,000 public officers working in 16 Ministries, over 60 Statutory Boards, and 9 Organs of State Civil Service 60,000 officers working in 16 Ministries and Organs of State Administrative Service Elite corps of officers (about 270) 0.0025% of Public Servants Singapore Civil Service: Today Slide 10 PSD, PSC, and CSC Prime Ministers Office (PMO) CPIB ELD NCCS NRF NSCS NPTD Public Service Division (PSD) Civil Service College (CSC) Public Service Commission (PSC) Slide 11 Management Associates Programme 2) Serving Officers1) Scholarship Holders (main source) 3) Open Market recruits The Administrative Service Public Service Leaders Identify, Attract & Recruit Specialist track leaders Mid-career entrants In-service nominations Slide 12 Highlights -- Nurturing talent: External Commercial Postings Posted out on a regular basis to commercial organizations Both government- linked companies & private companies Better understand the needs of business and assess impact of government policies & regulations External Community Posting Community Attachment Scheme Familiarize civil servants with concerns & expectations of citizens Postings to grass root and welfare organizations Overseas exposure Represent Singapore in overseas conferences & seminars Exposure offers a chance to learn & exchange best practices with international counterparts Slide 13 Highlights -- Appraisal System: H elicopter A nalysis I magination R eality Performance = Efficiency & Effectiveness Current Estimated Potential (CEP) The current estimate of the highest level at which an administrator can finally be expected to perform successfully, assuming unlimited opportunities. Slide 14 CEP Permanent Secretary Director MAO Slide 15 "I am in favour of efficient service. The brighter chap goes up and I don't care how many years he has been in or he hasn't been in. If he's the best man for the job, put him there" - Lee Kuan Yew, 1961 Slide 16 Clean Wage Govts financial liability to its officers is entirely discharged upon retirement Hence, we have done away with Pensionable Schemes In clean wage, we have also done away with benefits such as housing Slide 17 Salary Benchmarking for Top Civil Servants Salaries of Administrative Officers are pegged to salaries of top earners six professions in the private sector. The six professions are 1. Bankers 2. Lawyers 3. Accountants 4. Engineers 5. Employees of Multi-National Corporations 6. Local manufacturers Slide 18 Ethos of a Civil Servant: 1)Civil Servants recognize that they will not and cannot let the public down. 2) They cannot betray the trust of the public. 3)Learn from the world, implement the best. And then, innovate. 4) As a result, peoples expectations go up. The Civil Service embraces that. 5)AND, they Keep grooming the next generation to meet the HIGHER EXPECTATIONS. Slide 19 Examples of our Best Practices Institutional memory Whole of Government Approach Root Cause Analysis by mid career Civil Servants One pass Country Email access from PM to Permanent Secretary and more One point contact lead agency One stop business licensing portal Inland Revenue Auto-Inclusion Scheme Slide 20 Whole-of-Government Approach Future-oriented, horizon-scanning, planning for the unknown Networked government the catchphrase of the Public Service in the 2000s Homefront Crisis Management System SARS Crisis The National Security Coordination Secretariat Terrorism DPM Teo Chee Hean is Coordinating Minister PS (National Development) Benny Lim, Perm Sec for NSIC Slide 21 Service in Civil Service One-pass country; Singpass enables ordinary Singaporeans to use it for multiple activity sessions filing taxes checking provident fund status Publicized service performance standards & contact details Slide 22 eGovernance Efficiency gains from implementation of OBLS Improvements Reduction of licenses11 Conversion of licenses into life-time licenses (e.g. factory licence) 2 Energy Market Authority Licence for electricity generation Application process reduced 6 months 6 weeks Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority Fish culture farm license Application process reduced 3 months 3 days Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority Company registration process 5 days 2 hours Reduction in license feesFlat fee of S$300, down from S$1,200 Reduction in average approval processing time 65%; from an average of 21 to 8 days Slide 23 Conclusion Compelling vision moved the willingness of the government to perform and the people to trust Government/public service delivered Key processes Statistics (basis for logic and analysis) Audit (ethics/financial impropriety) Impact evaluation (keep improving) Supervision (ensure implementation) Slide 24 Singapore has been able to: PERFORMANCE = POTENTIAL INTERFERENCE EXPECTATIONS = AWARENESS + ACCOUNTABILITY BUT We have still much to do Slide 25 Thank You Presented by Sukhvinder Singh Chopra colsschopra@gmail.com In partnership with