PSD's Addendum to the President's Address 2014

PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE 
(PUBLIC SERVICE DIVISION)

ADDENDUM TO THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

MR TEO CHEE HEAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER-IN-CHARGE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE

1    The Public Service Division (PSD) will continue to build a first-class Public Service that serves Singapore and Singaporeans well. To do so, PSD will help our public officers to develop the capabilities needed to carry out their duties, and strengthen the role of public officers as trusted stewards of the public good.

Serving Singaporeans better

2    The Public Service will improve coordination across the whole of government so that citizens have a smoother experience interacting with various government agencies. This will start with the delivery of municipal services, such as public cleanliness, grass-cutting and maintenance of walkways and drains, and assistance to families with several social service needs that cut cross agencies. We will also work on improving public communications and engagement. The Civil Service College (CSC) is developing new training programmes to equip officers with skills in these key areas.

3    To develop policies that better meet the wide range of Singaporeans’ needs, PSD will work with government agencies to build capabilities to partner the community to understand different views and gather new ideas, and to create solutions together for better outcomes. Policy officers will have more operational postings and attachments to help them better understand the issues faced by Singaporeans, and the impact of government policies when implemented. The Public Service will also pay more attention to policy execution so that good policy intentions are translated effectively to services delivered by frontline officers.

Building stronger capabilities for an effective Public Service

4    The Public Service is putting strong emphasis on the professional development and career progression of our public officers. We will invest in the development of our officers, and encourage them to grow in their jobs. We want our public officers, from the most junior to the most senior, to have meaningful careers in the Public Service, and to sustain their passion in serving the public.

5    We will ensure that our human resource management policies and practices are progressive and effective in attracting and retaining good officers, and encourage performance and alignment to the ethos of public service. The appointment of a Chief Human Resources Officer and the launch of human resources training programmes signal our commitment to upgrading the capabilities of our Human Resources officers across the Public Service.

6    We will build up specialist expertise among our officers. For example, we will build a deeper and broader pool of engineers, particularly in our larger statutory boards, who can design and develop innovative and complex projects. We will continue to strengthen our foresight capabilities, focusing on translating insights about emerging trends into effective policy responses.

7    PSD will also broaden our leadership development programmes to nurture a more diverse pool of leaders to meet the challenges of a more complex environment. The Public Service Leadership Programme will groom officers with deep expertise in different sectors and professions, to take on future leadership positions in their respective areas across the Public Service.

Being stewards of the public good

8    Beyond good technical and management skills, every public officer also needs to uphold the values of integrity, service, and excellence, and serve Singapore and Singaporeans with a sense of mission. CSC will partner agencies in our effort to deepen the understanding of the Public Service’s values and ethos at various milestones in an officer’s career. PSD will recognise public officers who go the extra mile in their work, to inspire others to do the same. PSD will also create more opportunities for Public Service leaders to engage younger officers so that leaders can guide their officers to understand and embrace the values, ethos and culture of the Public Service.

9    PSD will work with MOF to review and strengthen critical governance processes to identify weaknesses or adapt to new circumstances. Personnel-related measures including mandatory job rotation and block leave for officers in fraud-prone job functions have also been introduced, and the Public Service will work together to ensure that these are implemented effectively.

Building a strong future together

10    As Singapore approaches its fiftieth year of independence, the Public Service is proud to be part of the journey in getting Singapore to where we are today. The Public Service looks forward to continuing the partnership with Singaporeans to build a strong future together for our nation.